Staff Reporter :
As the nation marks International Workers’ Day with rallies, speeches, and symbolic celebrations, millions of Bangladesh’s day labourers continue to live in harsh conditions, deprived of the very rights the day is meant to uphold.
Despite decades of promises, policy pledges, and labor law reforms, the lives of informal and unskilled workers—ranging from rickshaw pullers and construction workers to farmhands and domestic aides—remain largely unchanged. They endure long hours, unsafe work environments, and meagre daily wages, often without contracts, healthcare, or social protection.
In the capital’s Karwan Bazar, 45-year-old construction worker Abdul Karim starts his day before dawn, hoping to be picked for work. “May Day comes and goes. Nothing changes for us. We still struggle to feed our families,” he said, sitting beside a group of fellow laborers awaiting employment.
Bangladesh’s economy relies heavily on such informal workers, yet they remain among the most vulnerable. According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), over 85% of the country’s workforce is engaged in the informal sector, with no access to minimum wage guarantees or safety nets.
Labour rights activists argue that token observances on May Day do little to address the systemic neglect. “True honouring of May Day means ensuring decent work, living wages, and safety for all workers, especially those who build our cities and farms,” said Shireen Akhter, a trade union leader in Dhaka.
While some sectors have seen improvements—such as garment workers benefiting from pressure for compliance and wage hikes—day labourers remain largely excluded from such progress. The government’s 8th Five Year Plan includes provisions for better labor welfare, but implementation has been inconsistent.
As May Day is celebrated with processions and slogans in urban centers, labourers in rural and semi-urban areas continue to battle poverty, inflation, and job insecurity. Their stories remain largely unheard, their demands unmet.
“May Day is not a festival for us,” said Amena Begum, a domestic worker in Chattogram. “It is just another day of work—if we’re lucky enough to find any.”
