DHAKA, May 1, 2024 (BSS) - Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today asked the mills and factories owners to pay special attention to the labourers' welfare cutting some luxury in their lives.

"I want the owners to pay special attention to the labourers reducing their luxury a little bit as the labourers have given you the scope to lead lavish life by increasing production through their hard works," she said.

The premier was addressing a discussion as the chief guest marking the historic Great May Day at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) here organised by the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

She also reminded the labourers not to do any activity being influenced by any other that lead to damage of the mills and factories which bring them work and scope to earn their bread.

"And such way, the labourers sometimes actually make damage to them, their families, the country and the owners of the factories," she said.

The prime minister said there are some hired people in Bangladesh who are always out to bring the workers to the streets in any lame excuse.

She said the labourers have to keep one thing in mind that the owners have built factories to get benefit while at the same time; the owners also have to focus on the welfare of the workers.

"I want the industrial production to increase for the overall development of Bangladesh maintaining good relations between the owners and labourers," she added.

Sheikh Hasina called upon both the owners and labourers to proceed to her not going door to door to solve the problem if any difficulty arises.

"My door is open for all. Come to me if you feel any trouble. I will solve the problems. Keep one thing in mind, I am not only the prime minister, but also a daughter of the Father of the Nation," she said.

The prime minister earlier handed over cheque of financial assistances to some labour families.

She later witnessed a colourful cultural programme.

State Minister for Labour and Employment Ministry Md Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, Chairman of the Standing Committee on the ministry H.M Ibrahim, Country Director of International Labour Organization (ILO) to Bangladesh Tuomo Poutiainen, President of Bangladesh Employers' Federation Ardashir Kabir and President of Jatiya Shramik League Noor Qutub Alam Mannan, spoke at the discussion.

Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment Md Mahbub Hossain gave the address of welcome.

A video documentary on the Great May Day was screened at the function.

The historic May Day is being observed today in the country and elsewhere across the world in a befitting manner.

This year's theme of the day is 'Sramik-Malik Gorbo Desh, Smart Hobey Bangladesh (Labour-owner will build country, Bangladesh will be Smart’.

The May Day is being observed across the globe since 1886 commemorating the supreme sacrifices of the workers at Hay Market, Chicago, in the USA for eight-hour working day and upholding the rights of the working people.

Sheikh Hasina called her government pro-labourers saying they did everything for their welfare including increasing their wage, creating safe and secured work environment, building day-care centres for their children and dormitories for their accommodation, ensuring maternity leave for women workers and forming welfare trust for giving financial assistance in their needs.

The prime minister said her government has increased the salary of the workers from Taka 800 to 1600 in 1996, Tk 1600 to 3200 in 2009, Tk 3200 to 5300 in 2013, Tk 5300 to 8300 in 2018 and Tk 8300 to 12500 in 2023.

"The income of the workers is increased whenever the Awami League came to power. --- Her party always thinks that the work for the welfare of the workers is its duty," she said.

Bangladesh has signed all the conventions and protocols of the ILO during the regime of Awami League as the United States has yet to sign all of those, she added.

The prime minister however sounded a note of warning that her government will not spare any person involved with depriving workers by not providing their fair wages and dues.

"If anyone deprives our workers from their fair wages, whoever he or she is, even internationally recognised one, we will never spare them," she said.

She also said her government have taken and implemented massive programmes to generate employments that help reduce unemployment by three folds to 3 percent.
 
Briefly describing the government measures for expansion of education and employment, the premier said her government is giving text books free of cost alongside arranging vocational and technical training to build skilled manpower.

"We have opened the private sectors to generate huge employment. Our employment has reduced to 3 percent which was earlier higher by two or three folds," she said.

Sheikh Hasina also said they have built Karmasangsthan Bank from where the youths can take loan without guarantee for doing business.