Recommendations to introduce risk allowances, insurance, pension facilities for journalists

The labour reform commission has recommended introducing risk allowance, insurance and pension facilities for all journalists across the country. The commission also has proposed expanding the definition of ‘newspaper worker’ in the existing labour law and changing it to ‘media workers or employees’.

The recommendations came up in the report submitted by the labour reform commission to the chief adviser recently.

The report recommended separate laws or introducing separate sections for all journalists and media workers from both print and electronic media following the structure of The Newspaper Employees (Commission and Service) Act of 1974.

The report says the definition of ‘newspaper worker’ in the existing labour law should be expanded to ‘media workers or employees’ to include journalists, employees and workers from all news media, including online and broadcast media such as radio and television. Besides, there is a recommendation to recognise the people behind the camera as ‘photo journalists’.

The commission also proposed making it obligatory to issue an appointment letter for all sorts of recruitments in the electronic and print media. At the same, there are recommendations for introducing a fixed working hour, ensuring leave facilities for the workers and making maternity leave an obligatory.

The commission further suggested reform of the Bangladesh Journalists Welfare Trust. It has also proposed that all media authorities or owners must submit a monthly salary payment document to the Department of Inspection of Factories and Institutions.

There is another recommendation to regularise the salaries and allowances of journalists.