BFUJ, DUJ reject 9th Wage Board, countrywide protest on Sept 24

Journalist-bodies called in country-wide protests on Tuesday ,demanding a new wage board, and scrapping the existing declared 9th wage board.

In the recently declared ninth wage board, allowance for house rent decreased and yearly gratuity also halved.  

Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) and Dhaka Union of Journalists ( DUJ) jointy rejected the wage board as it is against the interests of the journalists. 

BFUJ President Ruhul Amin Gazi called in for a countrywide protest on September 24, rejecting the new wage board. He declared this protest program, from a joint rally with DUJ, in front of the national press club yesterday. 

Ruhul Amin Gazi said: “According to the previous wage board, journalists were entitled to two gratuities which was equivalent to two months of basic salary, but in the ninth wage board, the number of the gratuities decreased to one. House rent in the ninth wage board also decreased, which is unacceptable.” 

Emotionally charged Gazi said: "9th wage board has been made to serve owners’ interest, not journalists."

DUJ president Quader Gani Chowdhury said: "We got the 9th wage board after a hard pressed and long struggle, and we were hoping that the government will not deprive us of our rights. However, we are gravely disappointed."

BFUJ secretary general M Abdullah claimed that this wage board was declared to weaken journalists and media industries.

He said: "Increasing 80 per cent salary is just a fake declaration. Now journalists have to pay income taxes, which used to be paid by the owners earlier."