ZCZC
BSS-36
JOURNALISTS-WAGE-DEMAND
Journalists vow to fight back NOAB’s move to obstruct wage hike
DHAKA, Aug 8, 2019 (BSS) – Mainstream newspaper journalists and employees
today staged a protest expressing their determination to overturn a move by
newspaper owners to obstruct their wage hike under 9th Wage Board award and
demanded government intervention to protect their rights for dignified
living.
The apex forum of journalist unions – Bangladesh Federal Union of
Journalists (BFUJ) and its top affiliate Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ)
called the protest rally in front of the National Press Club, at the time
they simultaneously demanded announcement of the award by August 17.
The newsmen and their leaders blasted Newspaper Owners Association (NOAB)
for its move to create legal obstructions in their efforts to dilly-dally
implementation of the award.
They also issued a strong note of warning against a recent phenomenon to
retrench their colleagues from some newspapers as the demand for wage board
implementation was getting a momentum.
“If the demand is not fulfilled by August 17, journalist community will opt
for tougher action programmes,” said a DUJ press release.
BFUJ and DUJ jointly organised the rally in front of the JPC in support of
their demands that include publication of the gazette of the 9th wage board
award, stopping retrenchment of journalists from service and ensuring
security of journalists, added the release.
BFUJ president Molla Jalal chaired the rally while BFUJ’s acting secretary
general Abdul Majid, DUJ general secretary Sohel Haider Chowdhury, DUJ’s
joint secretary Akhter Hossain, Bangladesh Newspaper Employees’ Federation
president Matiur Rahman Talukder, secretary general Khairul Islam, Bamh;adesh
Newspaper Press Federation Alamgir Hossain Khan, secretary general Kamal
Uddin, Dhaka Reporters’ Unity general secretary Kabir Ahmed Khan addressed
the rally, among others.
They also urged the authorities concerned to take immediate steps on the
case filed by NOAB just before the announcement of 9th wage board award.
The journalist leaders criticized the role of Newspaper Owners’
Association of Bangladesh (NOAB) and said whenever the government takes steps
to increase salary-allowance for journalists-employees of newspapers, NOAB
opposes it.
BSS/PR/TRA/TAN/ARS/1951 hrs