Journalists stage hunger strike for new wage board
Journalists yesterday staged a day-long hunger strike as part of their protests against the delay in constituting the proposed 9th Wage Board for increasing the pay package.
A large number of journalists representing mainstream media took part in the strike in Jatiya Press Club auditorium where leaders of journalist associations and unions accused the information ministry of delaying the process.
Veteran journalist Kamal Lohani, former president of the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ); Abul Kalam Azad, managing director and chief editor of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), and Kazi Rafique, former president of the Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ), made them break the fast by offering fruit juices.
"The 8th wage board was declared on September 22, 2013 . . . the journalists became victim of discrimination when the national pay-scale was announced in 2015," BFUJ President Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul told the demonstration.
Kamal Lohani demanded immediate announcement of the ninth wage board describing the journalists demand "very justified".
BFUJ Secretary General Omar Faruque, BFUJ's former secretary generals M Shahjahan Mia and Abdul Jalil Bhuyian, DUJ's former general secretaries Azizul Islam Bhuiyan and Quddus Afrrad, BFUJ's incumbent Vice President Shahidul Haque, Treasurer Madhusudan Mandal also joined the strike.
Other speakers include Daily Janata Editor Ahsan Ullah, BFUJ former treasurer Ataur Rahman, Dhaka Reporters Unity President Shakhawat Hossain Badsha and General Secretary Murasalin Nomani, Dhaka Sub Editors' Council President KM Shahidul Haque and General Secretary Abul Kalam Azad, DUJ's BSS unit chief Enamul Haque Babul and journalists Azam Sarwar Chowdhury, Ahiduzzaman Mia and Md Abu Sayeed.
Comments