Md Sazedul Islam :
BANGLADESH along with rest of the world observes May Day, which epitomises workers’ struggle for their rights, by calling for a greater unity among owners and workers and striving for progress. The purpose of observing the day is to send out a massage to the whole world concerning rights of the workers. May Day is the day of demanding justice for the workers to make their life safer and secure. The day is observed with a call for establishing dignity, honour, socio-economic and human rights of the working people.
The day commemorates the struggle by workers at Chicago in USA over a century ago to establish the rights of workers to a reasonable period of working hours in a day. The sacrifice ultimately led to the authorities yielding to the workers’ demand and the eight-hour day has come to be introduced universally. The sacrifice of the workers forced the world leaders to help establish anb eight-hour working period for workers instead of 16 hours.
On July 14, 1889 in Paris, an international workers’ rally declared May 1 as International Workers’ Solidarity Day in recognition of the Chicago workers’ sacrifice and achievement and since 1890, the day has been observed globally as International Workers’ Solidarity Day. May 1 is a national holiday in more than 80 countries. It is also celebrated unofficially in many other countries.
May Day, which is a celebration of social and economic achievements of the international labour movement, sees organised demonstrations and marches by millions of working people and their labour unions throughout the world.
In Bangladesh, different organisations hold various programmes such as processions, rallies, meetings and human chain demonstrations to commemorate the sacrifices made to win their rights. On this day, beyond the celebrations, we need to commit ourselves to the task of eliminating child labour and to protect the rights of the workers, especially of women workers.
In Bangladesh, workers are not treated fairly. There are huge under-age workers, who are deprived not only of education but also of their natural life. In the industries, the authorities force the labourers to work hour after hour disregarding their rights. Many garments factories do not follow the recommendation of the national wage board. The problem wth female workers is a bit higher. They work in an insecure condition. They even sometimes face sexual harassment. It is alleged that women continue to face discrimination and they dominate the low paid jobs. There are five million domestic workers in Bangladesh, 90 per cent of whom are women and children. A large number of domestic workers are facing exploitation in many ways at the hands of their employers.
Child labour has become rampant. Everywhere they are deprived. They do not get their real reward. According to National Sample Survey (2002- 03), there are a total of 4,23,67,000 children, aged 5-17 years and of them, 7,42,3,000 are working in the country.
A joint survey of UNICEF-ILO said children are engaged in 301 types of economic works in urban areas and of them, 47 are regarded as hazardous for children. In the rural areas, they are found to be engaged in about 90 types of agricultural and non-agricultural activities.
According to Labour Force Survey (BBS 2002-03), the total number of workers (aged 15 and over) in the country is 8,08,34,000. Of them, 4,58,67,000 are male while 3,49,67,000 are female. The BBS statistics say that women are engaged in more or less 58 professions, which included, among others, agriculture, domestic works, garment and sewing, poultry, dairy and nursery, day labour, textile, dyeing and weaving, wholesale and retailer (owner), teaching, sales and hawking, bidi making, etc.As the problems of workers persist, the government came forward taking a number of steps for the welfare of the workers. Labor courts in Bangladesh promote and protect worker rights and enforce laws on issues such a compensation to be paid to workers by employers for the breach of labour laws on their part. Bangladesh is a signatory to the International Labor Organization and remains committed on the whole to ILO policies. The constitution of Bangladesh guarantees equal rights for men and women. Hence, legal measures have been adopted to protect the rights of the women workers.
There are labour laws to protect the rights of the workers. These are Factory Act 1965, Workmen Compensation Act 1923, Maternity Benefit Act 1939, Standing Orders for Employment of Labour 1965, Payment of Wage Act 1963, Shop Establishment Act 1965, Employment of Children Act 1938, Maternity Benefit, Tea Estates Acts 1950, Fatal Accidents Act 1955, Factories Act 1965, Minimum Wage Ordinance 1961, Industrial Relations Ordinance 1969, Children (Pledging of Labour) Act 1933, Employers’ Liability Act 1938.
The Bangladesh government took a number of steps to eradicate child labour and ensure their welfare. A National Policy on Children was adopted by the government. The government also launched the National Plan of Action on Child Labour covering all types of hazardous and abusive child labour.
Bangladesh is among the first few countries to sign the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and has already taken steps to implement its provisions.
Bangladesh enacted an important law protecting the interests of the children and their wellbeing, The Children Act 1974. The number of women participating in the labour market is gradually increasing in Bangladesh. Traditionally family norms and social perspectives are changing with changes in the world economic pattern.
Necessary steps have been taken to integrate women in the mainstream of economic development. A lot of progress has been achieved regarding the rights of women and child workers. However, we need to do more to fulfil the objectives of May Day.
(Md Sazedul Islam is a journalist.)
