DHAKA, Aug 22, 2010 (BSS) – The Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) today announced a series of programmes including a hunger strike for formation of the 9th Wage Board and repeal of section 57 of the ICT Act.
The programmes also includes human chains and processions across the country, a hunger strike and a grand rally in Dhaka. Announcing the programmes at a press conference at the Jatiya Press Club here this afternoon, BFUJ President Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul called upon the media men to make those a success. BFUJ Secretary General Omar Faruqe read out a six-page written statement.
The leaders will exchange views with different mass-media related institutions and organizations on their demands until August 31.
Journalist leaders will join rallies, human chains and processions in different districts from September 9 to September 18 to drum up support for their demands.
A day-long hunger strike will be held at the Jatiya Press Club (JPC) on September 20.
A rally of different journalists’ organizations will take place in front of secretariat on September 24.
Journalists, workers and employees media houses will hold a grand rally in the capital in the first week of October.
BFUJ President Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul said that a group of people including the owners were spreading confusion over the formation of the 9th Wage Board.
In the written statement, Omar Faruque said that the 8th wage board was formed on June 18, 2012 and a gazette published on September 11 2013. As a result, the new wage board was due after five years in June this year. BFUJ secretary general said the salary structure of government employees had been doubled in 2015.
But the pay structure of journalists was not revised, he said adding that the non-declaration of the 9th wage board has caused immense sufferings to their families.
Following the last pay scale, government officials are getting basic pay of Taka 86,000 in the special grade, while journalists are getting Taka 35,875.
An apprentice government official is getting Taka 22,000 for probationary period in Garde-9 while an apprentice journalist is getting only 12,600 in grade-4.
Journalists are lagging behind the government officials not only in terms of money, but also in respect of their dignity.
He said that the minimum wage structure is determined by the Wage Board. In 1974, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman enacted the Newspaper Services Act to fix the dignity and salary structure of the journalists but this law is not being implemented despite repeated demands of newsmen.
Responding to a question on bringing the electronic and online media under the 9th wage board, BFUJ president Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul said, “We are continuing our efforts. We hope for bringing the ninth wage board for electronic and online media.”
BFUJ Treasurer Madhusudan Mondal, Joint Secretary General Amiya Ghatak Pulak, Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) President Shaban Mahmud and General Secretary Sohel Haider Chowdhury were present at the press conference.