The historic May Day, also known as International Workers’ Day, is being observed in Bangladesh and across the globe with calls for the protection and promotion of workers’ rights.

Trade unions and labour rights organisations are rallying for several key demands, including workplace safety, the right to form and join trade unions freely, and the enforcement of an eight-hour working day.

Labour activists in Bangladesh said that 139 years later, this fundamental right remains unrealised for the vast majority of workers in the country.

Rights advocates highlighted that more than 85 per cent of Bangladesh’s workforce is employed in the informal sector, where no legal framework exists for wage determination or working conditions.

Without fair wages, the concept of an eight-hour workday is meaningless, said trade union leaders, pointing to widespread inflation, wage stagnation and legal neglect.

They renewed their call for a permanent wage commission to establish fair and consistent wage policies across both formal and informal sectors.

Particular concern was expressed over the condition of tea garden and garment workers, many of whom struggle to survive on wages far below living standards.

Labour leaders argue that in the absence of strong legal safeguards, workers continue to face exploitation, inequality, and vulnerability.

As workers march in remembrance of their historical struggles, the demand for a legally mandated eight-hour workday and a national minimum wage remains central to their vision of a just and inclusive labour market.

May Day, observed on May 1, commemorates the historic global struggle for workers’ rights, especially the fight for an eight-hour working day, which began with 19th-century labour movements in the United States.

The campaign for an eight-hour workday gained momentum in the 1860s and culminated in a series of coordinated strikes and rallies across the United States on May 1 1886.

Under the leadership of trade unions, workers defied widespread opposition and organised mass demonstrations demanding fairer working hours.

The movement turned violent in Chicago, marking a pivotal chapter in labour history.

On May 3, 1886, a rally at the McCormick factory in Chicago was attacked by hired enforcers and police forces, resulting in the deaths of six workers and injuries to many more.

In response, thousands gathered at Haymarket Square the following day to protest the killings. During the demonstration, police opened fire on the crowd, killing seven and wounding several others.

In the aftermath, police arrested several prominent labour activists, including August Spies, Samuel Fielden, Michael Schwab, George Engel, Adolph Fischer, Louis Lingg, and Oscar Neebe.

Following what many consider a politically motivated trial, four of the accused were executed, drawing widespread condemnation and galvanising the international labour movement.

The sacrifice of those involved in the Haymarket Affair played a crucial role in establishing the principle of the eight-hour working day—dividing time equally between work, rest, and personal life.

Over time, this demand gained global recognition and became a cornerstone of labour rights advocacy.

May Day, also known as International Workers’ Day, has since become a day of remembrance and mobilisation for workers across the world.

The Geneva Congress of the First International, held in 1866, had earlier endorsed this demand, stating: ‘The legal limitation of the working day is a fundamental condition, without which all efforts for the advancement and emancipation of the working class are bound to fail. This Congress proposes that the legal limit of the working day be fixed at eight hours.’