The Media Reform Initiative, a platform of journalists, on Friday presented 13 points of demand, including an ultimatum to journalist unions to unite within the next three days.
Journalists Ariful Sazzad and Ahammad Foyez, on behalf of the platform, sent a statement to the media issuing the ultimatum along with the 13 point demands for reforming the media industry.
They said the journalists have come under attack during the recent student-people movement in the country with people鈥檚 trust in the media becoming questionable. The nation of Bangladesh itself has become distrustful of the media industry as journalists working in various media professions have taken initiatives to end the situation.
In the statement, they demanded for ensuring justice for the journalists killed during the student movement and giving compensations to the affected media offices and workers.
They also demanded media owners and executives who have made the media a political tool should be investigated and brought to justice; formulation of a uniform wage board for mass media people; the implementation of the 9th Wage Board immediately; and providing dividends as per labour law.
They said that the trend of undemocratic grabbing of media houses in emerging situations and times must be stopped immediately, and all levels of intimidation of media workers must stop.
They said a high-level commission should be constituted for reforming general issues, including the mode of media management; all restrictive laws against media and freedom of expression must be repealed.
All cases filed against media people under ICT, the Digital Security Act, and the Cyber Security Act should be withdrawn, they also demanded.
Their demands also include ensuring justice over killing of all journalists including journalist couple Sagar-Runi, and prosecuting the people who are involved in the forced disappearance, torture, and harassment of journalists at different times and spaces.
It is also stated by the two that journalism is seriously affected due to the party-backed journalist unions in Bangladesh.
Divided journalist unions have long failed to protect the interests of media and journalists, as various interest groups are taking advantage of this, it said.
