Bangladesh, May 1 -- Despite official celebrations and promises, May Day 2026 is being marked by rising workplace deaths, weak protections, and growing doubts over whether Bangladesh's workers are safer than a year ago.

While the government reiterated its commitment to workers' rights, safety and welfare, rights groups and labour leaders warned that the situation in workplaces is worsening, with 96 workers killed and more than a thousand injured in workplace incidents in 2025 alone, raising fresh questions about enforcement, accountability and the effectiveness of current protection measures.

This year's theme, "Healthy workers, productive hands; a new dawn awaits," was adopted as the country grappled with data showing workplace casual...