The historic May Day was observed today (Thursday) in the country alongside entire humanity to express solidarity with the movement for establishing socioeconomic rights of the working-class people, reports agency.

The day was a public holiday. Trade unions, political parties and professional organizations here observed the May Day by organizing indoor discussions. But May Day rallies were banned under the current state of emergency.

In 1884, the Federation of Organized Trade and Labor Unions passed a resolution stating that eight hours would constitute a legal day''s work from and after May 1, 1886.

And that was achieved with blood spilled in a vigorous movement in the American city of Chicago. The unions called a general strike to achieve the goal, as the workers were being forced to work 10, 12 and 14 hours a day in the heydays of industrial boom. In Chicago, the heart of the movement, police and militia fired into a crowd of strikers at the McCormick Reaper Works Factory, killing four and wounding many on May 3, 1886.

The agitating workers called a mass meeting the following day at Haymarket Square to protest the brutality. Police again fired into the crowd, killing one more worker and injuring many. Amid the mayhem, a bomb was thrown at the police, leaving a policeman dead.

President Iajuddin Ahmed and Chief Advisor Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed issued separate messages on the occasion, wishing the workers at home and overseas all the best. The president in his message said the contribution of the working-class people is undeniable to the socioeconomic development of the country.

In the present-day world, the vast population will have to be deeply involved in production-oriented activities to attain national prosperity.

"There is no other alternative to skill and united effort alongside establishment of labour- intensive industries," Prof Iajuddin said, adding, "In the current competitive world, we will have to attach importance to improving the quality of services and production and prices." He called for improving worker-owner relations and congenial atmosphere in industry-worker management to uphold the significance of the May Day.

In a separate message, the Chief Advisor said that the role of the working-class people is immense in development, production and construction in a country. He said the future of the country is closely linked with the welfare of the toiling people and change in their destiny.

"The government," he said, "is implementing effective measures to establish the basic rights of the working-class people, especially their just wages, professional skill and appropriate working condition as well as to improve the workers-owners relations."

Terming workers as architects of the civilization, the Chief Advisor hoped that all concerned would come forward with meaningful programmes to create employment opportunity and turn the vast population into workforce alongside protecting the just rights of the toiling masses.