Govt working for 'realistic solution'
Says Quader about 9th wage board
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader yesterday said the government is very sincere to reach a “reasonable and realistic” solution over the issue of Ninth Wage Board Award for journalists and employees working at newspapers and news agencies.
He was addressing reporters at the conference room of the information ministry after a meeting of the reconstituted cabinet committee on reviewing the report of the wage board.
Committee members Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud, Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun and State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid were present at the meeting.
Later, the review committee held another meeting with Newspaper Owners' Association of Bangladesh (Noab).
Quader, also convener of the reconstituted cabinet committee, said the issue is old, but “we started our journey anew”.
Thanking the Noab leaders as they joined the meeting on a short notice, Quader said in initial discussions they expressed their observations and gave comments. “Open discussions were held at the meeting and they informed us about their bottom line. Discussions would be held with the journalists also,” he added.
Quader said the issue of the Ninth Wage Board Award is not simple. There are some complications and mutual cooperation is needed to find a solution, he added.
He said problems will arise in the implementation process if the committee declares the award unilaterally.
Quader said, “We are also considering the issue to bring the journalists of the electronic media under the wage board. More discussions will be held in phases.”
The cabinet approved reconstitution of its committee on reviewing the report of the Ninth Wage Board for journalists and employees working in newspapers and news agencies on January 21 at its maiden meeting.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader is the head the seven-member committee. Other members include Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and State Minister for Labour and Employment Begum Munnujan Sufian.