Alok Acharja

The comfortable building we spend our days in is built on the sweat of workers. Sweat of that worker is on every brick. Today's modern civilization has been established on both labor and workers. Our lofty life has been established on the sweat of workers. The Taj Mahal, about which the world is so excited today, was built on the sweat of workers. Yet in today society, it seems that it has been divided into two classes: coolie-worker and boss. The more civilization progresses, the stronger this division becomes. This difference is created by
money. The one who has money is the owner. And the one who does not have it is the worker! But everyone works, so everyone gives labor, that is, workers. Yet those who are in the role of the owner cannot realize this simple truth, and even if they could, they do not want to admit it. This will cause inconvenience to their comfort and well-being. The words labor and worker are closely related to each other. Several issues related to the work of a worker are closely related. These include working conditions, fair wages, working hours, ancillary facilities, and assurance of job stability. The movement for the realization of workers' rights started with the focus on working hours. Since then, a lot has happened. The working hours of workers have decreased. However, in many cases, workers are still deprived of their fair dues. They are literally laid off. The plight of women workers is one International Workers Day, which is better known as May Day. Behind this is the history of the highest sacrifice for the rights of workers. A history that still carries the memories of that day. It is about the early 19th century. Workers in the city of Chicago, USA, were dissatisfied with the working hours for a long time. They were made to work for long hours for low wages. As a result, they had to do excessive physical labor. The duration of this work was 12 to 18 hours. Industrial owners enjoyed more profits. As a result, the lives of workers were inhuman. In 1860, workers demanded that their wages be fixed at eight hours a day without reducing them. In 1884, a group of workers in the city of Chicago, USA, started a movement for eight hours a day. This demand led to the workers movement in Chicago, USA, in 1886 and the subsequent clashes between workers and police, in which 10-12 workers, including police, died. A report by the International Labor Organization (ILO) has revealed that one worker diesevery 15 seconds in the world due to accidents or diseases at work. As a result, the economy is facing major losses. Global GDP is losing 4 percent annually. According to ILO data, at least one worker dies every 15 seconds in the world due to related accidents or illnesses. The financial loss caused by workplace-related accidents is equal to 4 percent of global GDP. In Bangladesh, it is said that in 2023, 1,432 workers lost their lives at work. 502 were injured. 1,103 people died in accidents in the informal sector. The highest number of deaths was 637 in the transport sector. In addition, 149 workers died in the construction sector and 220 in thedaily wage sector. According to a report by the International Labor Organization (ILO), one worker dies every 15 seconds in the world due to accidents or illnesses at work.Section 2(65) of the Labor Act 2006 states that a worker is a person who is directly employed in an establishment or industry under the terms of his employment. In addition,those who are engaged in skilled, unskilled, manual, technical, business development, or clerical work in exchange for wages or money through contractors can also be called workers. Of the total workers, 87 percent are in the informal sector. They are mainly rickshaw pullers, agricultural workers, construction workers, hawkers, scrap collectors,transport workers, part-time domestic workers, etc. The remaining 13 percent of workers work in the formal sector. In terms of profession, there are more farmers and fishermen. However, a large number of women and men are working in the garment industry.According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) 2022 labor force survey, the total workforce in the ready-made garment sector is 4.316 million, said the State Minister for Labor and Employment. He said that according to the BBS survey data, 37.51 percent, or 1.619 million, women workers are in the ready-made garment sector. Although a report published in the media last year revealed that, according to the information of the BGMEA,the organization of export-oriented garment factory owners (according to the biometrics database), there are 3,317,397 workers in ready-made garment factories in Bangladesh. Of these, 52.28 percent are women workers. In terms of numbers, there are 1,734,459 women workers. On the other hand, according to the information of the BKMEA, the organization of knit garment industry owners, there are 17 lakh 255 workers in the knit sector. Of which 62 percent, or 1,054,157, are women. In total, there are 50 lakh 17 thousand 652 workers in the ready-made garment sector in the country. Of which 55.57 percent, or 27 lakh 88 thousand 6 With the modernization of civilization, class division develops in society. This division becomes more clear from the beginning of the development of urban civilization. One group
is the owner class, and the other is the worker. One class continues to embrace consumerism, and the other class is busy providing the materials for their consumption. The progress of civilization continues to flow through labor to this day. Today, a danger to our economy isThe garment industry is the lifeblood of the country. Lakhs of men and women are working day and night in this sector. Our economy has come to life with their sweat. The economy has accelerated. They are the most important partners in the development of our country. The
bricks of the country's development are being laid with their hands, with their sweat. All the big structures and infrastructures are built by those great people. After the construction of the Taj Mahal, everyone praises Emperor Shah Jahan for it. But if you go a little deeper, you will see how many workers have sweated while building this Taj Mahal. No one even remembers those people. It seems that they do not deserve the praise. Everyone praises the emperor! If the sweat of the workers had not been shed, then where would this reputation be? Behind every development of today civilization, there is the contribution of this coolie class of
people. We have only wanted to pay for that contribution with money. That too, many times they have been deprived of their dues. The sweaty people of society, who wear suits and boots, have never had a price. We have never been able to evaluate them. However, when we
look around today's civilization, the luxurious mansions that catch our eye, the big buildings that dazzle our eyes, and the architectural style that brings lines of poetry to our minds are behind the labor of thousands of workers. We only praise the owners of these buildings. The history of these workers lies behind them. We forget that civilization was shaped by the blows of the hammer of the worker. However, we never wanted to pay the right price for that hammer. They have lost their rights again and again. Therefore, the working people have to unite to achieve their rights. Although basic rights have been ensured for the workers today, the stability of their work has not been ensured. The workers working in various sectors must be paid their fair share, and a suitable environment must be ensured for every job. May Day is an important witness to the realization of the rights of the workers. They should be given their due by remembering this historic day of getting the fair price for their work.

The writer is a essayist and columnist