Journalist leaders say they want to restore discipline in the industry
BSS: Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) on Thursday called for restoring discipline in the newspaper industry along with considering the demand of the Newspaper Owners’ Association (Noab) for providing incentives to newspapers.
BFUJ President Omar Faruq and Secretary General Deep Azad, in a statement, said it is urgent to restore discipline in the newspaper industry.
They also said former leaders of BFUJ demanded incentives for the entire mass media, including newspapers and televisions, when Covid-19 broke out in the country.
“We call for the restoration of discipline in the industry along with considering the demand of Noab.”
The BFUJ leaders mentioned that recently the Noab during a meeting with the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) raised the crisis of the newspaper industry which is very much rational.
“But as the representatives of the highest body of the professional journalists, they want to highlight the picture of the other side of this crisis.”
“BFUJ is observing with concern that most of the newspapers did not implement the government- declared ninth wage board award till now, many newspapers do not give appointment letters to journalists-employees and pay their regular salary, they are retrenching journalists without clearing their dues as per the law,” they observed.
Some newspapers are taking government advertisements at higher rates and importing newsprint showing ghost circulation on false declarations, the leaders added.
“We’ve no reservation to work with Noab in realizing any incentive from the government through solving these crises.”
The BFUJ leaders demanded the inclusion of representatives of the journalist community in any discussion and taking any decision about newspapers or mass media.
They also demanded the formation of a wage board for television journalists through enacting mass media employees’ law.
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