The print media will soon be declared an industry, said Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu on Thursday.
The decision will be finalised by next week, he said.
The minister made the remark at a review meeting on the execution of the 8th wage board with the United Council of Journalists, Employees and Labourers at the information ministry’s conference room.
Co-Chairmen of the council, BFUJ presidents Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul and Ruhul Amin Gazi, DUJ President Omar Faruq and general secretaries of DUJ Saban Mahmud and Jahangir Alam Prodhan, and Principle Information Officer Aminul Islam attended the meeting, among others.
“The government has already decided to reduce the duty on newsprints for newspapers to 5% from that of 10%. An official order will be issued in this regard as per the approval of the finance ministry. The government advertisements rates have already been increased,” he said.
Inu also said the government was trying to reinstate the Newspaper Employees Services and Conditions Act1974 to separate the wage board from the Labour Law. The last BNP government included it in a law,suspending the act.
“The government is going to enact a new law to form a Journalists Assistance Trust Fund dissolving the existing Journalists Assistance Policy to help the poor and insolvent journalists. The government has a fund of Tk10m now which will be increased. The draft of the law may be placed before the cabinet at Monday’s meeting.”
If the cabinet approves the draft, he said, it would be sent to the parliament for passage.
