Great May Day is being observed today—a day to uphold the rights and dignity of workers. On 1 May 1886, workers in Chicago’s Haymarket affair sacrificed their lives while demonstrating for an eight-hour workday. Following that legacy of sacrifice, working people around the world have continued to fight for fair wages, humane treatment, and safe working conditions.

Workers in Bangladesh are no exception. Alongside their struggle for rights, they have played a strong role in every democratic movement in the country. Article 14 of the Constitution of Bangladesh states: “It shall be a fundamental responsibility of the State to emancipate the toiling masses—the peasants and workers—and the backward sections of the people from all forms of exploitation.”

Yet, even 55 years after independence, workers remain among the most deprived groups in terms of securing their rights. In recent years, many have faced repression and even death while protesting for fair demands. Due to flawed policies of previous governments, the closure of factories has left a large number of workers unemployed over the past two years.