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.