Journalists demand 9th wage board

Journalists on Wednesday demanded immediate announcement of the ninth wage board rewards for journalists and workers of newspapers and news agencies. They also demanded a new law for ensuring economic and social safety of journalists and media workers.

They came up with the demands at a meeting, jointly arranged by Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) and Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ), at BFUJ office in the capital, marking May Day.

Chaired by BFUJ President Mollah Jalal, the meeting was addressed, among others, by BFUJ Secretary General Shaban Mahmood, Vice President Syed Ishtiaque Reza, Executive Member Nur-e-Jannat Akhter Sima, DUJ General Secretary Sohel Haider Chowdhury and former BFUJ Treasurer Ataur Rahman.

They said journalists and media workers are facing financial crisis due to the delay in announcement of the ninth wage board rewards.

They urged the government to finalise the wage board issue as soon as possible and resolve barriers preventing them from doing so.