Journalists held protest rallies across the country on Saturday to press their 39-point demand, including the implementation of the ‘No Wage Board, No Media’ policy, the formulation of a journalist protection law, the introduction of two-day weekly holidays, and the repeal of all anti-media black laws.
The journalists organised the protest rallies under the banner of the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists to ensure press freedom and journalists’ welfare.
BFUJ faction secretary general Kader Gani Chowdhury presented the 39-point demand at a rally in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka.
The BFUJ wants a transformed media environment where journalists can report freely, without fear, and pursue truth with responsibility as the driving force of journalism, Kader Gani said.
The nationwide protests reflect journalists’ unity in defending their professional rights and press freedom, he added.
Dhaka Union of Journalists’ president Shahidul Islam presided over the rally, while Jatiya Press Club president Hasan Hafiz, BFUJ faction acting president Obaidur Rahman Shahin, DUJ faction general secretary Khurshid Alam, among others, also spoke.
The key demands also include immediate implementation of the ninth wage board award and formation of the 10th wage board, along with a unified wage board for print, electronic, online, and multimedia journalists, the establishment of a separate labour court for journalists, ending harassment, intimidation, and killings of journalists, with speedy trials for all murder cases, including journalist couple Sagar-Runi murder case.
The demands also include the abolition of all anti-media laws, a guarantee for editorial and institutional independence of media houses, fair wages for district correspondents, safeguards against arbitrary dismissal, mandatory written appointment letters, timely payment of salaries, and accident and health insurance for media workers.
The protest rallies were also held in Chattogram, Sylhet, Rajshahi, Barishal, Khulna, Gazipur, Mymensingh and Narayanganj.