Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Tuesday handed over cheques of financial assistance to some distressed journalists as per directive of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
A number of journalists, who have long been jobless, have lost jobs or are not getting salaries due to the coronavirus pandemic, received the cheques at a programme organised at the Press Institute of Bangladesh in the capital city.
Addressing the ceremony, the information minister said the government of Sheikh Hasina has been executing the largest-ever relief scheme since the very beginning of coronavirus outbreak.
Over 7 crore people have so far been benefited by the relief scheme. The journalists were given Tk 10,000 each as per directive of the PM, he added.
Around 1,500 journalists would get the assistance in the initial stage, he said, adding that the list was prepared regardless of political views.
Zafar Wazed, director general of the pib; Molla Jalal, president of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists; Quddus Afrad, president of Dhaka Union of Journalists; among others, were present at the occasion. UNB