The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

The Government has issued the gazette notification of the 7th Newspaper Wage Board Award 2008 for the journalists, workers and employees of all newspapers and news agencies effective from May 22, 2008.

The nine-member Board constituted on February 26 this year proposed increase of salary of journalists and media workers around 90 percent from the fifth Wage Board award.

Earlier, the 6th Wage Board award was announced on October 2006, with effect from July 2006.

Headed by retired Justice of the High Court Division of the Supreme Court Justice Habibur Rahman Khan, other members of the Board included Editor of the Independent Mahbubul Alam, Chief Editor of the Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury, Editor of the Jugantor Golam Sarwar, Editor of the

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Prothom Alo Motiur Rahman, Co-convener of Journalists Workers and Employees Oikyo Parishad Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul, Member Secretary Ruhul Amin Gazi, and members Abul Hashem and Khairul Islam.

Deputy Secretary of the Information Ministry Khurshid Alam was the Member Secretary of the 7th Wage Board.

In the recommendation of the award, the 7th Newspaper Wage Board mentioned that the 6th Wage Board was constituted after 11 years of the announcement of 5th Wage Board in 1997. But, the journalists community protested the anomalies in the 6th Wage Board Award and demanded removal of the distortions and shortcomings of the 6th Newspaper Wage Board Award.

Considering their demands, the government formed the 7th Newspaper Wage Board on February 26 this year to recommend its proposals within two months.

Considering 67 percent hike in prices of essential commodities since 1997 and inflation rate of 192.39 percent, till January 2008, the Board recommended around 90 percent rise in wages for journalists, newspaper workers and employees.

In the recommendations, it was suggested for cancellation of zero tariff import of newsprints and government advertisement benefit for the owners of the newspapers for failure of implementation of the proposals of the 7th Wage Board Award.

The Board suggested for constituting a monitoring committee to ensure implementation of the 7th Wage Board Award comprising the representatives of journalists, newspapers workers, employees and newspaper owners.

The Board also recommended formation of a similar Wage Board for fixing the wages for the journalists and workers in the private television channels including radio and other electronic media.

Besides, the suggestions were made to form a welfare fund for the journalists, workers and employees so that they are financially supported after termination of their jobs, sickness, and providing supports to the family members of journalists after their expiry.

According to section 6 of the Labour Law 2006, the Board categorically said that any owner of a media house will not be able to appoint any journalist, worker or employee without issuing an appointment letter and it has to issue an identity card with photographs to them.

The Board recommended for constituting a separate law for the Newspaper Industry or reinstating the recently abolished "The Newspaper Employees (Conditions of Services) Act 1974 with necessary amendments, corrections, expansion, inclusion and recast in order to infuse dynamism in the industry and protect the rights of the journalists and media workers.

The wages for journalists and newspaper workers and employees were classified in three categories of newspapers and news agencies namely 'A', 'B', and 'C'.

For journalists of 'A' category newspapers and news agencies, the scale of the Special Grade journalists has been fixed at Taka 20500-800- 32500, while for Grade I Taka 18200- 700-28700, for Grade II Taka 13775-600-22775, Grade III Taka 9100-450-15850, Grade IV Taka 7200- 400-13200 and Grade V Taka 6250-300-10750.

For employees of 'A' category newspapers and news agencies, the scale of the employees has been fixed at Taka 18200-700-28700 Grade I, Taka 13775-600-22775 for Grade II, Taka 9100-450- 15850 Grade III, Taka 7200-400-13200 for Grade IV and Taka 6250- 300-10750 for Grade V and Taka 5300-275-9425 for Grade VI.

For workers of 'A' category newspapers and news agencies, the scale of the employees has been fixed at Taka 18200-700-28700 Grade I, Taka 13775-600-22775 for Grade II, Taka 9100-450- 15850 Grade III, Taka 7200-400-13200 for Grade IV and Taka 6250- 300-10750 for Grade V and Taka 5300-275-9425 for Grade VI.