Delay in implementing 6th wage board condemned

Leaders of Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) yesterday condemned delay in implementing the 6th wage board.
The leaders at an executive committee meeting yesterday said though the government had solved problems of different quarters, including the owners of print media, it is quite indifferent to take necessary steps in providing due payments to the journalists, says a press release.
Though the price has been hiked several hundred times since the last 12 years, the journalists are forced to do with the same amount of salary. In spite of informing the issue to the higher authorities, it is yet to see any sign of solution, they added.
The meeting was presided over by DUJ President Altaf Mahmud while DUJ General Secretary Omar Faruque, former general secretary Shah Alamgir, Vice President Abul Kalam and Joint Secretary Shaban Mahmud also spoke at the meeting.
The speakers also condemned retrenching of journalists and employees of the daily Ittefaq. They also demanded an end to the irregularities and discrimination in Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) on the issue of discharging and re-recruitment of the employees.
Their demands also include payment of the arrears and bonus to the newsmen before 15th Ramadan and payment of the due salaries of The Independent newsmen.
The leaders also expressed grave concern over the issue of not implementing 40 percent dearness allowance at the daily Jugantor, Janakantha, Bhorer Kagoj, Manabjamin and Amader Somoy.
Excluding around 50 dailies from the media list without prior announcement would create further crisis in the newspaper industry, they added.