May Day (Internatinal Workers Day) :Retrospective & Scenario of workers in Bangladesh

May Day or International Workers' Day is the commemoration of the Haymarket massacre in Chicago in 1886, when Chicago police fired on workers during a general strike for the eight hour day, killing several demonstrators and resulting in the deaths of several police officers. In 1889, the first congress of the Second International, meeting in Paris for the centennial of the French Revolution and the Exposition Universelle, following a proposal by Raymond Lavigne, called for international demonstrations on the 1890 anniversary of the Chicago protests. That was so successful that May Day was formally recognized as an annual event at the International's second congress in 1891. The May Day Riots of 1894 and May Day Riots of 1919 occurred subsequently. In 1904, the International Socialist Conference meeting in Amsterdam called on "all Social Democratic Party organizations and trade unions of all countries to demonstrate energetically on May First for the legal establishment of the 8-hour day, for the class demands of the proletariat and for universal peace.
The first May Day celebration in Indian subcontinent was organised in Madras by the Labour Kisan Party of Hindustan on May 1, 1923. This was also the first time the red flag was used in India.
In countries other than the United States and Canada, resident working classes sought to make May Day an official holiday and their efforts largely succeeded.
In the United States, however, the official Federal holiday for the "working man" is Labor Day in September.The first Labor Day celebration was held on September 5, 1882 but this was opposed by other labor unions who wanted it to held on May Day. After the Haymarket Square riot in May, 1886, President Cleveland feared that commemorating Labor Day on May 1 could become an opportunity to commemorate the riots. Thus he declared 1st Monday of Sepember as Labor day in 1887. In 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower proclaimed May 1 both as Loyalty Day and as Law Day. Each year, the sitting president proclaims these observances on May 1.

In Bangladesh the day,1st May ia an official holiday but the spirit of the day is so far unaccomplished.We have entered into the arena of industrialization & tody the backbone of our economy stands by virtue of low paid working class both in agriculture & industrial sector.Most of the low paid workers are working in the apparel industry & are mainly women.Owner of these industries are earning,depositting money & maitaining lavish lifestyle by depriving these workers.Whenever there is a protest we smell a conspiracy theory behind but for how long the underlying desatisfaction of workers regarding their salary,overtime & hostile working environment will be neglected? Grivance of the working community may help some conspirators to fuilfil their target of creating anarchy.
Government should immediately ensure,enforce & monitor the facilities, the factory owner promises to a buyer for the benefit of worker.These are sufficient salary & overtime,friendly & hyegenic working place as well as proper health service.As most of the worker in apparel industry are women,maternal & child health should get priority.

Otherwise the day is approaching when history of Haymarket massacare will repeat here in Bangladesh.

Nabobarsho (Bengali New year) :only Bengali National Festival ?

Pahela Boishakh has already turned as the only national festival for peoples of Bangladesh, the symbol of cultural unity without distinction between class or religious affiliations. Now this is the biggest event in a calender year of Bangladesh. Moreover this is the only common festival for ethnic Bengali's, living anywhere in the world.

King Shoshangko of ancient Bengal, who ruled approximately between 590 CE and 625 CE, is credited with starting the Bengali era though the celebrations of Pohela Boishakh started from the great Akbar's reign. Fatehullah Shirazi, a renowned scholar and astronomer, formulated the Bengali year on the basis of the Hijri lunar and Hindu solar calendars. The new Fasli San (agricultural year) was introduced on 10/11 March 1584, but was dated from Akbar's ascension to the throne in 1556. The new year subsequently became known as Bônggabdo or Bengali year. It was customary to clear up all dues on the last day of Choitro. On the next day, or the first day of the new year, landlords would entertain their tenants with sweets. On this occasion there used to be fairs and other festivities.

On this occasion there used to be fairs and other festivities. In due course the occasion became part of domestic and social life, and turned into a day of merriment. The main event of the day was to open a halkhata or new book of accounts. Many old festivals connected with New Year's Day have disappeared, while new festivals have been added. With the abolition of the zamindari system, the punya connected with the closing of land revenue accounts has disappeared. Kite flying in Dhaka and bull racing in Munshiganj used to be very colorful events. Other popular village games and sports were horse races, bullfights, cockfights, flying pigeons, and boat racing. Some festivals, however, continue to be observed; for example, bali (wrestling) in Chittagong and gambhira in Rajshahi are still popular events. This festival rooted in the rural culture of Bangladesh, has become integral part of city culture. The historical importance of Pohela Boishakh in the Bangladeshi context may be dated from the observance of the day by Chhayanat in 1965. In an attempt to suppress Bengali culture, the Pakistani Government had banned poems written by Rabindranath Tagore & protesting this move, Chhayanat opened their Pohela Boishakh celebrations at Ramna Park with Tagore's song welcoming the month (Esho he boishak,esho esho............). Later, in the mid- 1980s the Institute of Fine Arts added color to the day by initiating the Boishakhi parade, which is much like a carnival parade. Pohela Boishakh is really about celebrating the simpler, rural roots of the Bangladesh. As a result, more people can participate in the festivities together without the burden of having to reveal one's class, religion, or financial capacity. There should be a festival bonus for the service holders as they get in other occasions(Eid,Puja,,,,,,,,,,) to celebrate this event in a more festive manner. Hope Pohela Boishakh continues to be celebrated in the same manner as it connects all ethnic Bengalis irrespective of religious and regional differences.