PM to address May Day rally in Dhaka for first time
The announcement was made at a press conference held at the BNP central office in Nayapaltan, where the party’s Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan said the prime minister will attend the event as the chief guest.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is set to deliver a speech at a May Day rally in the capital for the first time, BNP leaders announced today (30 April).
The rally, organised by the Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Sramik Dal to mark International Workers' Day, is expected to draw a large turnout of workers from across the country.
The announcement was made at a press conference held at the BNP central office in Nayapaltan, where the party's Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan said the prime minister will attend the event as the chief guest.
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BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and other senior leaders are also scheduled to speak at the rally.
Nazrul described this year's May Day as being observed in a "special context," citing several ongoing challenges faced by workers, including the absence of a national minimum wage structure, increased reliance on outsourcing, a shrinking labour market, and rising unemployment among educated youth.
He said the rally will highlight key demands such as the right to form trade unions freely, improved working conditions, workplace safety, and the introduction of a rationing system for workers.
Expressing optimism about participation, Nazrul said the party expects "hundreds of thousands" of workers to join the rally voluntarily.
At the same press conference, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi called for strengthening the national minimum wage board to reassess wage structures and urged the government to introduce necessary laws and policies to address workers' concerns.
