Minimum wage of journalists
I would like to draw attention of the people concerned as to the minimum wage of the probationary journalists. Not all, but most of the newspapers remunerate the probationary journalists at around TK. 3,000- 4,000/-. To my utter surprise, many do not even pay the journalists during the probationary period as I have recently come to know from some of my friends working in the media. Management asks them to work 3-4 months for free and start paying them only upon satisfactory performance at the completion of this period.
Well, I am talking about the people who work around 8 hours a day after completion of their graduation from the universities. In addition, the probationary journalists cannot even enjoy weekly holidays; they are forced to work 30 days a month in the pretext of learning. They do not receive any appointment letter as well, which is an outright violation of labour law, 2006 of the country.
Other benefits, such as gratuity, provident fund, are seldom found in the industry with only a handful of established newspapers offering it to its journalists and other employees.
Initial salary of the journalists was around TK. 3,000- 4,000/- in 2000-2002 periods. When the nation faced almost 300% inflation in the mean time, journalists' initial salary remains the same. However, there is wage board which fixes a salary structure commensurate with the inflation of the country. But, apart from only a few, no other print or electronic media comply with the wage board structure.
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