Govt to alleviate job uncertainty of journalists: PM
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said the government is going to enact a law to eliminate job uncertainty of journalists in both print and electronic media.
In reply to a query from ruling Awami League MP Shahiduzzaman Sarker from Naogaon-2, the premier said journalists of print and electronic media suffer from uncertainty about their jobs, which is also a threat for free media.
"To remove this job uncertainty, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is going to enact a Media Workers (Terms of Service) Act, which is at the final stage for approval," Hasina said in her written answer.
Earlier, Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, who was presiding over the sitting, tabled the question-answer session.
"SUNDARBANS IS EXPANDING"
In reply to a query from Awami League MP Sultana Nadira (Women's Seat-15), Hasina told Parliament that the world's largest mangrove forest, Sundarbans, is expanding and the number of tigers has already increased there.
She also said the reserve of carbon in the Sundarbans has increased from 106 million tonnes in 2009 to 139 million tons in 2019.
"Actually the Sundarbans is expanding. The number of tigers has risen," she said in a scripted answer.
Hasina, also Leader of the House, mentioned different steps taken by the government to save the Sundarbans and its biodiversity.
She said there were 106 tigers in the Sundarbans, according to the tiger census conducted through camera tracking in 2015. But the number rose at 114 as per the 2018 tiger census, she added.
The premier said the numbers of trees and tigers have increased due to the government's measures and strengthening the forest management.
Considering the shortage of manpower of the forest department, an initiative is being implemented to create some more posts for protection and preservation of the Sundarbans, said Sheikh Hasina.
Noting that the Sundarbans as a unique gift of nature for Bangladesh, she said it protects the country from the brunt of the natural disasters, including cyclones.