From uncertainty in jobs to threats on lives – the multiple challenges that beset the life of a journalist in this country, are soaring day by day because of a lack unity among journalists.
The situation leaves scopes for the employers to impose their arbitrary decisions on them, journalists said at a rally brought out by the Institute of Communication Studies on the Central Shaheed Minar premises yesterday.
Professor AAMS Arefin Siddique, vice-chancellor of Dhaka University, said: “The freedom of expression and the right to information is not meant to facilitate the undue exploitation on the journalists, but it is a right of all.”
In line with the Rokeya Day observed yesterday, the professor in journalism wondered why someone would be discriminated in this profession just because of being a woman.
He called the Information Ministry to address the issues.
Journalist Sanat Babla, senior reporter at the daily Kaler Kantho, said there have been a lot of cases where different business giants initiated a media house to serve their own purposes, but, later wrapped it up suddenly leaving the employees in limbo.
Such trend has made the profession a very uncertain one in terms of building career. As a result, young people are becoming discouraged.
However, the media professionals opined that the instability prevails partly because of the divide in the journalists’ community.
Journalist Zahidul Haque Khan said the uncertainty was more severe in cases of those working at the grassroots level.
Special correspondent at the Daily Janakantha Shumi khan remarked that despite having same educational backgrounds women get lower wages compared to their male colleagues.
Nadira Kiron, assistant chief reporter at ATN Bangla, said: “Facing such obstacles, many female journalists quit this profession at one point.”
Parvez Khan from Independent Television said the owners take advantage of the disunity among journalists.
“Many a time journalists get sacked if their works go against the interest of the owner. A single journalist cannot be blamed for a report as the process involves several others,” he added.
Institute of Communication Studies is an organisation by and for journalists in association with media professionals and scholars.
