Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN) – Journalists will observe a 3-hour token strike and hold a rally in front of National Press Club on March 28, demanding formation of the 8th wage board.
Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ), Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ), Bangladesh Sangbadpatra Press Sramik Federation and Bangladesh Sangbadpatra Karmachari Federation and journalists’ union leaders took the decision at a meeting at the Press Club auditorium in the capital Dhaka on Thursday.
They decided that if the 8th wage board is not formed by March 28 they would demand resignation of the information minister and threatened to go for a tougher movement, a press statement said.
They expressed their strong resentment and condemnation as no gazette has been published yet despite the prime minister’s directive and announcement by Information and Cultural Affairs Minister Abul Kalam Azad over the formation of the new wage board by the 1st week of February.
Although the prime minister has finalised the appointment of the chairman of the wage board, its formation is being hindered due to the “dillydally” attitude of the information minister and “unexpected” non-cooperation from the Newspaper Owners’ Association of Bangladesh (NOAB), the meeting alleged.
BFUJ President Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury and general secretaries Abdul Jalil Bhuyian and Shawkat Mahmud, DUJ President Omar Faruk and General Secretaries Baker Hossain and Shaban Mahmud, among others, spoke at the meeting.
On July 18 last, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina asked the information ministry to take steps for forming the 8th wage board for journalists after discussions with all stakeholders.
BBN/SI/AD-22Mar12-9:50 pm (BST)
