A large part of the country's total workers are informal workers. They continue to enrich the country's agriculture, fisheries and processing, construction, hawker, chatal, beedi factories, tailoring, welding, weaving, printing, hotels and restaurants, wholesale and retail establishments, brick kilns, domestic work, small factories etc. . The country is moving forward economically. But how are the informal workers around you?
Even on this scorching day, informal workers are gathering on the streets hoping for work. Organizations or individuals are taking them for contract work as per their requirement. In this heat, not many people are going out unless they have to. The income of the rickshaw pullers has decreased. Talking to many people, it is known that they are not able to survive the whole day on the road. I have to return home after working for three-four hours. Housekeepers don't seem to get any extras from the families they are assigned to on these uncomfortably hot days. There is no institution to monitor the safety, well-being, or safety of these informal workers. That is why in most cases their working hours are unspecified.
There is no one to look after their security. We often get news that a painter has died while painting a multi-storey building. Or a Mason dies. There are reports of unusual deaths of domestic workers. But there is no procession or meeting for their death. But their contribution to national development is not less at all. To emphasize further, their contribution to our society is by no means insignificant but invaluable.
It is known that in the year 1886 AD, the Hay Market Massacre of Chicago, USA is celebrated to commemorate the sacrifice of the martyrs. On that day, workers gathered at the Hay Market demanding an eight-hour work day. And after an unidentified person hurled a bomb at the policemen surrounding them, the police started firing on the workers. 10-12 workers and police were killed in that incident. In 1889, on the centenary of the French Revolution, the First Congress of the Second International was held in Paris. There, Raymond Lavin proposed to celebrate the anniversary of the Chicago protest in different countries from 1890 AD. In 1891, this proposal was formally accepted at the Second International Congress.
May Day is a public holiday celebrated in Bangladesh. The President and the Prime Minister give speeches on the occasion. New instructions also come. Various public and private organizations and organizations organize processions, labor rallies, discussion meetings, seminars, cultural programs to celebrate the day. Especially on May Day, various organizations including political parties, trade unions and labor federations hold separate programs.
But even today there is no separate program for informal workers. Because they have no separate organization, no union. But Bangladesh is moving forward. Time has come to strengthen the institutional base. In this case, not only the government but also big companies should come forward. We are trying to improve as a country. For that purpose, we have to move forward little by little towards ensuring the benefits of the citizens of developed countries.
These informal workers are contributing to the growth of big companies. So the concerned companies should take responsibility for their development. Companies have to take this responsibility from their corporate responsibility. Above all there should be labor monitoring cell under the management of labor ministry.
Sectors where informal workers are few in number and cannot be organized; Let us be humane towards them from every place. If the security of this large population is not ensured, even if the country is developed, a large part of the country's citizens will remain socially insecure.
Let the true demands of May Day be established. Greetings and Red Salute to all workers on May Day.