BFUJ demands 8th wage board, 100pc DA
Leaders of the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) yesterday demanded of the government to form the Eighth Wage Board and announce 100 percent dearness allowance (DA) for the journalists and employees of newspapers and news agencies immediately.
The BFUJ placed the demand when its newly elected office-bearers called on Information and Cultural Affairs Minister Abul Kalam Azad at the PID auditorium at the secretariat.
They also placed other demands before the minister including trial of the killers of journalists in Khulna, Jessore and Bogra during the BNP-Jamaat regime, taking initiative to solve housing problems, and raising a welfare fund for the journalist community.
The BFUJ leaders expressed their strong resentment against the recent derogatory remark of Commerce Minister Faruk Khan about the journalists at the meeting.
Responding to different demands and suggestions of the journalist leaders, Azad regretted the commerce minister's remarks and said " The government is always media-friendly and we keep in mind the contributions of the journalists to the country's all democratic struggles."
On the formation of the new wage board for the journalists, he said he would discuss the issue with the prime minister to take a decision in this regard soon.
BFUJ President Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury and Secretary General Abdul Jalil Bhuyian led the delegation while outgoing secretary general Altaf Mahmud, DUJ President Shah Alamgir, General Secretary Abu Jafar Surja, Saiful Islam Talukder, Ataur Rahman, Shahidul Alam, Nazimuddin Shyamal, Moqbul Hossain Mintu, Pradeep Bhattachariaya Shankar, Wahabuzzaman Jhantu, Hasan Millat also spoke at the meeting.
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