ZCZC
BSS-16
WAGE-JOURNALISTS-MEETING (with picture)
Govt. wants salary enhancement of newsmen: Haque
RAJSHAHI, July 3, 2018 (BSS) – Chairman of 9th Wage Board for Newspapers and News Agencies Justice Nizamul Haque today said the government wanted salary enhancement of newsmen as he chaired a meeting of the Board with journalists at the northwestern divisional headquarters here.
“The journalists are contributing a lot to the country’s progress and reaching the government’s development messages to people through their professional works,” he said.
Haque underlined the need for objective journalism so that the country can achieve the SDGs through coping with the existing challenges.
Justice Haque was addressing a view-sharing meeting with newspaper editors, publishers, journalists and press club executives in different districts in Rajshahi division at Circuit House conference room in the city.
Wage Board members Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul and Matiur Rahman and board secretary and information ministry joint secretary Md Mizan ul Alam, among others, spoke at the meeting.
The meeting recorded various opinions and suggestions of the participants and discussed various aspects of the wage board.
Bulbul, also president of (BFUJ) Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists, criticized the forum of newspaper owners NOAB for its alleged stance against the much expected award calling it “unethical”.
“Their (NOAB) representatives were on the ninth wage board. They also joined three meetings of Wage Board, but then made a U-turn,” he alleged.
Bulbul said the wage board was formed by the government and NOAB nominated representatives who took part in three meetings of the board.
“We believe NOAB would not have sent the names if they had objections. They could have placed their objection in the meetings. Now, it’s for the court to decide if NOAB’s move is legal at this stage,” he added.
BSS/AH/MMA/1945hrs