Journalists to come under universal pension scheme: Info minister

Information and broadcasting minister Hasan Mahmud Tuesday said journalists will come under the universal pension scheme and BNP leaders who are also opposing the welfare proposal would get rid of the ‘disease of saying no'.

"Journalists would also come under the universal pension scheme. I hope BNP which tells 'no' to everything and opposes the welfare proposal would also get rid of the disease of saying 'no'", he said.

The minister stated these while addressing the biennial conference of Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) with its president Quddus Affrad in the chair at the auditorium of Jatiya Press Club (JPC) here.

The Daily Observer editor Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, the Daily Jugantar editor Saiful Alam, Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) president Omar Faruque and general secretary Dip Azad, BFUJ former president Manzurul Ahsan Bulbul and DUJ former general secretary Abu Zafar Surya, among others, addressed the conference while DUJ secretary Sazzad Alam Khan Tapu conducted it.

Hasan said journalists have a demand of pension. Bangabandhu's daughter prime minister Sheikh Hasina has decided to introduce pension scheme to all and all citizens of the society including journalists, he added.

He said the owners of all mass media have and will have the responsibility to bring journalists under the purview. But, BNP leaders are also criticising the groundbreaking declaration of the premier, said Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary.

In fact, BNP could not get out of the habit of saying 'no' to everything, he said, adding, "Please tell, if you have any suggestion to the announcement made by the premier. Good suggestions will be accepted when the planning will be published. But why are you criticising the good initiative? I hope they will get rid of the disease of saying 'no'."

The minister expressed his gratitude to those journalists who are writing investigative reports and writing about the neglected people of the society despite threats.

Such reports show paths to the society and the responsible persons to be more responsible and the present government practices the culture of receiving criticisms, he added.

He said discipline has been established in many sectors of the mass media. The cable operators are maintaining the serial of the Bangladeshi TV channels as per their on air date he said, adding that after putting Bangladeshi channels the cable operators are keeping the foreign channels on the list.

He said the government has implemented the clean feed (ad free) foreign channels.

Hasan said, "Many owners are implementing the 8th Wage Board Award at their newspapers while many didn't. The journalists unions are vocal to implement the 9th Wage Board Award. I think everyone should implement the 9th Wage Board Award. We will work in this regard."

He said the premier is journalist-friendly and Journalists' Welfare Trust and Tathya Commission were formed under her initiative. Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was also journalist-friendly leader, said Hasan.

Later, the minister unwrapped the cover of a journal 'Bangabandhu' of Bangladesh Films and Television Institute at his office at Secretariat.