HC questions legality of 9th Wage Board

The High Court has questioned the legality of the 9th Wage Board -- formed to revise the wages for journalists, employees and workers of newspapers and news agencies.

On Sunday, the court issued a rule asking the information secretary, labour secretary and chairman of the 9th Wage Board to explain in two weeks why the formation of the 9th Wage Board by the information secretary for journalists and staff of newspapers and news agencies would not be declared illegal.

The HC bench of Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury and Justice Md Ashraful Kamal issued the rule following a writ petition filed by the Newspaper Owners Association of Bangladesh (NOAB), challenging the legality of the formation of the 9th Wage Board.

NOAB submitted the writ petition to the HC in June, also seeking an injunction restraining the respondents from taking any further steps to constitute the wage board as per the notification issued by the information secretary on January 29 this year.  

Citing the petition, writ petitioner's lawyer Yousuf Ali told The Daily Star that the labour ministry is the authority for the formation of any wage board for workers as per the rules of business issued by the president.

The 9th Wage Board has been formed by the information ministry in violation of the rules of business, he said, adding that the information ministry has no authority to establish any wage board.

The lawyer said the information ministry has no enforcement mechanism to monitor whether the newspaper authorities implement the recommendations of the wage board regarding the wages of journalists and workers of newspapers and news agencies. 

The labour ministry has around 500 inspectors to monitor whether owners of mills and factories implement the recommendations of the wage board for the workers, Yousuf added.     

The government on January 29 constituted the 9th Wage Board to propose increasing salaries and other benefits of journalists and employees in newspapers and news agencies.

The owners who were made members of the body are NOAB President Matiur Rahman, Vice-president AK Azad, Treasurer Motiur Rahman Chowdhury, members Mahfuz Anam and Tasmima Hossain and convener of Bangladesh Sangbadpatra Parishad MG Kibria Chowdhury.