BFUJ asks govt to address ‘frustration’

A faction of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) yesterday urged the government to take necessary initiatives to address journalists’ frustration over the newly-issued ninth wage board.

In a press statement, BFUJ said the journalist community is disappointed  by the new wage board, as several facilities for them were cut down in the gazette as recommendations.

These are -- reducing gratuity from two to one, introducing income tax payment by journalists and a drop in house rent allocation, reads the statement.

Besides, there is confusion over the timely implementation of the wage board, it said.

The journalists’ union however thanked Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for approving the wage board, considering demands of journalists and media workers.

BFUJ issued the press statement after holding an emergency meeting on the wage board, in its office at Jatiya Press Club yesterday.

The meeting was presided by BFUJ President Molla Jalal, where its Vice President Syed Ishtiaque Reza, Secretary General Shaban Mahmood, Joint Secretary General Abdul Majid and Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) President Abu Jafar Surjo and General Secretary Sohel Haider Chowdhury were present.

On Saturday, the government published a gazette on the ninth wage board award for journalists and employees of newspapers and news agencies.

The information ministry published the gazette, dated September 12, on its website. The gazette came into effect on the date of publication.