May 1 is celebrated internationally as the Great Workers Day. The day is observed worldwide as a day for workers' rights. Even though the day has been celebrated for the last 138 years, how much do the workers know about their rights or how aware are they?

Ilyas Mia drives a rickshaw in the capital's Mirpur. One son, one daughter and wife live in Baganbari slum. Even if you can survive on any kind of dal and rice with the income from driving rickshaws, you cannot afford to educate your children. Therefore, despite the desire, he stopped his son's school to curb the additional expenses. He married a young girl.

Ilyas doesn't know what May Day is. When asked about this day, his simple answer was - 'What will happen with these days, uncle? I work, I get thirst for it, I don't have any mercy. If I don't go to work today, I won't be able to eat. What do we have to do with these? I will take care of my own stomach, my own family. If you don't work, no one will give you food or water.'

Driving a rickshaw is also a work, in that case you get proper evaluation through your work, Ilyas said to this reporter of Barta24.com, 'None behaves with us well, we work like machine, we work , you pay even you do not show kindness when we carry in this scorching heat. Everyone, young and old, does it. But I have a family; I need to eat, so I need to work. No matter what one uses, there is no way but to work.'

Shyamal Das sews shoes in front of Mirpur Shah Ali Plaza. Although he used to work in other jobs, he started sewing shoes six months ago. When asked how life is going in the job of sewing shoes, he said, 'The whole day's work does not go well. The income is not bad, but the prices of goods are also increasing. I have a little problem for this, but I am fine by God's grace.

When asked if he knew anything about May Day, he shook his head and answered 'no'. A mysterious silence descends on the face, a mocking smile on the face in response to the question whether he gets the dignity he deserves by working as a shoemaker. That smile seems to tell how much respect he deserves and how much he gets.

A severe heat wave is going on in the country. People's life is in a state of panic in such a fiery heat. However, these workers do not even have time to stop and feel relief. So keeping the heat alert aside, he is going out on the streets every day with the urge of action. I am going to work to collect food for the next day. Otherwise, the family will starve the next day.

Sufia Khatun works in a garment factory in Sheorapara. She got married at a young age because her parents could not afford it. After marriage, the garment worker joined the work herself as her husband's income alone did not support the family. The family somehow runs on the income of the two.

When Sufia Khatun was asked about May Day, she told Barta24.com, "Yes, I am hearing about Labor Day today." Today is a factory holiday for this reason. When asked if she knows anything about this day, she said, "I don't know anything more than that."

In response to the question of what is the proper evaluation of your work as a garment worker, she said, "You have to work to fill your stomach." There is no other way. No one will bring home food anymore. But I don't get money compared to the hard work. If I can't eat properly by renting a house, then what is the wage? Earlier, I used to work in another garment, suddenly it was closed without paying any salary. Now I entering here again. This is how it goes.

This reporter of Barta24.com talked to about 18-20 such workers across the capital. But most of them could not tell what Labor Day is, why this day is observed. But some said they don't know much more than that even after hearing about Labor Day.

On May Day, the working people of this city went out to work with the hot sun on their heads. After work in the evening or at night, if you return home with food materials, only then will the fire in the stove burn. Therefore, there is no day for them, but a tin can on the head and rice in the stomach is like a daily, every-night wish. So whether it is winter, summer or monsoon, they never stop running.

The rush started as soon as the train arrived. Pushing the crowd of people, the passengers stood helplessly by the door of the train and waited for the passengers to get off. When the passengers got off the train, they used to struggle to carry the bags on their heads. Then proceed to the gate of the station. The passengers were also happy to tip them.

I'm talking about the coolies running around in red half-sleeve shirts at the railway station. With the passage of time, porters do not have the same respect as before. Bag sacks of passengers reach the station gate on modern wheels. Thousands of passengers come and go at Kamalapur railway station every day. But the busyness of porters stops at the door of the train.

But even if everything stops, life does not stop. In modern bags, baggage, the way of income is narrowing day by day. Now the fate of labor workers is spinning on the wheels of moving bags, luggage and trolleys. Far from running the household expenses, now nearly two and a half hundred workers of Kamalapur railway station have become the responsibility of getting food for their hard work.

One such worker is Anwar Hossain. 10 years ago, he joined the profession of a laborer in Kamalapur holding the hand of Dulabhai. A decade ago, he paid the debt of his village with labor money. He brought some relief to the family by overcoming the poverty situation. But over time that income has stagnated. He has broken his dream and is bound by the chains of porter profession.

Anwar said, work is not done like before. People don't even call. I earn 300-400 takas a day - I can't rent a house for children's education. I have many problems. But stuck in a net of debt. I will go to work outside, but I don't get work. I am forced to do this work.

The life story of more than two and a half laborers of Kamalapur railway station who run their families with the income of labor is just like Anwar's. Being in one profession for a long time, they cannot quit. Despite the frustration and bitterness, sweaty fortunes changed. However, despite sweating, they did not get rid of poverty even in a thousand years. There was no improvement in the quality of life.

Those involved with labor workers say that they are losing job opportunities due to the use of modern bag baggage. Many people are avoiding porters due to economic stress. Therefore, the economic crisis is also playing a major role in reducing the scope of work of these low-income people.

Abdur Razzak came to Kamalapur with a close relative from Gaibandha and has been trying to change his destiny for 12 years. Spending on the station platform from 4 am to 8 pm earns only 400-500 taka. Excluding expenses, the family has only 100-200 taka.

Blaming it on fate, Razzak said, more than 250 of our people all want freedom from suffering. But what else do you do with fortune writing? People slander a lot without understanding. He abuses small people. But sorrow does not understand.

He said 1 girl and 2 boys study at home. A family of 7 with parents. It is very difficult to run on a small income. If you do not work, how will the income be? People don't call us anymore.

While all occupations have a fixed amount of wages, this laborer does not have a fixed wage. Although there are various discussions about the institutional workers, no one is worried about these informal workers. Even the fair wage of labor does not reach the fate of these people. Day after day they are stuck in the net of poverty in the dream of freedom from poverty.

Sardar Mubarak of coolies demanded incentives from the government for coolies at Kamalapur railway station.

He said, we are always trying to get our rights. There have been repeated unsuccessful attempts to evict us by making various allegations against us. We now carry goods using trolleys. We don't have what people give us. Now the modern bag is out. Many are leaving this profession. Yet some are clinging on. Government should provide incentives for us like other professions.

Rajikul Zaman Ratan, education and research affairs secretary of Bangladesh Trade Union and general secretary of Jatiya Sramik Front, said that day by day the work place of workers is decreasing. Various machines and tools have been developed using modern technology to replace workers which reduces the scope of work. We all talk about institutional workers. But there are 70 percent informal workers. No one talks about them.

He thinks that it is important to talk about the rights of informal workers, coolies, hawkers and other workers who are there.

It is important to introduce their rationing system. Besides, if their workplace is not secured, the future will be worse. So we have to work for the rights of these low income people along with the institutional workers. The government should look at them.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that if the workers are deprived of their fair dues, even if he is an internationally renowned person, he will not be exempted.

The Prime Minister said these words at a discussion meeting organized by the Ministry of Labor and Employment on the occasion of the Great May Day at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center in Sherebangla Nagar of the capital on Wednesday (April 30).

Urging the owners to look after the interests of the workers without showing them luxury, the head of government said, "If someone deprives the workers, whoever he is, even if he is internationally renowned, we will not leave him, we will not leave him." Workers have to pay their dues, they have to see.

Noting that the Awami League has increased the wages of workers every time it came to power, Sheikh Hasina said that the goal of the Awami League is to change the fate of the working people. The government wants to develop skilled manpower. It is the duty of Awami League to look after the welfare of the workers.

She said, we have taken measures to ensure that the factories do not close down. Like many developed countries in the world, women in our country get equal wages. In our time the number of women workers has increased to 43.1 percent. Girls can work anywhere. We have created that opportunity.

She also said that besides giving incentives to the owners during the Covid pandemic, we sent money directly to the mobile phones of the workers through Bangladesh Bank.

Sheikh Hasina said that in the name of agitation, BNP has killed common people including workers by burning buses, trucks and workers. We have provided assistance to every affected worker-employer. I think it is the responsibility of Awami League to see the welfare of workers. Welfare of people is our endeavor.

Shahinoor, a resident of Pirer Bagh in the capital, brings home Tk. 12,000 a month by working 8-5 every day. Husband also works. But the income of two people does not support a family of five. Shahinoor is really struggling. After calculating the rent and paying the related bills, she found herself empty-handed before stepping towards the market. This middle-aged woman sent her three daughters to school. But one girl has already dropped out of school. This is the life of a garment worker.

Along with the pace of economy in the garment sector, the livelihood of the workers in this sector has not kept pace in the past. It still not getting it. Last year, the government fixed the minimum wage of garment workers at 12,000 taka which was earlier 8 thousand taka. It was expected that some relief would come from this salary increase, but due to the increase in commodity prices, that relief did not come. Shahinoor's burning proof.

Almost six lakh people migrate to Dhaka city every year with the dream of success in life in search of livelihood and hope to change their fate. Among the large number of people who came to Dhaka, most of the lower class, lower middle class are settled in various garment factories of the capital. These people who have come from the village are giving their labor in the garment factory for a small income to get rid of poverty. But their fate did not change.

Many people work for a monthly salary of 12-13 thousand taka for 8-9 hours a day. However, with this small income, the families of garment workers are struggling to make ends meet due to the rise in the prices of daily necessities.

House rent, household expenses, how is the life of clothing workers? This reporter of Barta24.com tried to find out about this. On Thursday (April 25), it was learned about their condition after talking to the workers of some garment factories in Mirpur area of the capital.

Shahinoor Begum, a garment worker in a Mirpur Sheorapara factory, lives in Pirer Bagh area. She told Barta 24.com, "My husband's income alone doesn't support the family. So I went to work myself. But even that doesn't work. I go at 8 in the morning and come back at 5 in the afternoon. I get 12.5 thousand taka a month. After the broken bed, all I get is house rent, current bill. ,ends up paying the water bill."

"I have three daughters. No son. I cannot pay for their education. I have stopped one daughter's education," said Shahinoor.

Shahinoor blames the increase in commodity prices for this sad state of fate. She said, two people work to survive after eating a little. I can't even move in this city with three girls. That's unfortunate."

Another garment worker Alauddin came from Bhandaria police station in Pirojpur district in search of livelihood and joined a garment factory in the capital. Iron Man's work is his there. Monthly salary is 12000 taka.

There is a lot of pressure at work. There is no chance of the clock going around. If the specified work is not done within the time, the job will be lost. Alauddin told Barta24.com, "Because of lack of education, I couldn't go far. When I couldn't do anything in the village, I came to Dhaka city. I got a job as an iron man in a garment. It is very difficult to work in this summer. There is nothing to do. I live in a mess in Sheorapara. Eat- I spend 7-8 thousand taka a month on my own.

"My mother says to start a family, get married. I say I can't go by myself, what I should do with my wife!"

Rozina, another garment worker, said, "Earlier it was 8000 taka, now it is 12000 taka. But in this age, but in this time can't survive on this money. The price of fish and meat in the market is burning. Broiler chicken is also around 250 taka per kg. My husband's daily income is always spent. . Maya has grown up, how I get her married no savings.’

Readymade Garment industry is a major sector of Bangladesh's export earnings. The country's foreign exchange reserves are heavy by buying cheap labor in this economic driving force. And the owner's fortunes are increasing. But despite working tirelessly day after day, the workers do not see the face of happiness. As much as the income increases, it all comes to an end due to the shock of rising commodity prices in the market. So there is little change in the lives of workers in the garment sector.