Staff Reporter<:/strong>
Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon yesterday said the government is working to formulate a wage board and a structured pay scale for journalists through consultations with media owners to ensure fair salaries and professional dignity.
He made the remarks while addressing a views-exchange meeting with photojournalists at the Bangla-desh Photo Journalists Association auditorium in the capital.
The meeting was chaired by association president AKM Mohsin and addressed, among others, by Bang-ladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) Secretary General Kader Gani Chowdhury, Bangladesh Pho-tojournalist Association General Secretary Babul Talukdar and Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) Presi-dent Shahidul Islam.
Swapon said that if the media is treated as an industry, recruitment and operational activities must com-ply with relevant laws. He added that while investors must safeguard their investments, workers’ rights must also be ensured, and expressed hope for a balanced solution.
Referring to rapid technological changes, he said modern devices now combine the functions of televi-sion, radio, camera and computer, urging photojournalists to upgrade their skills accordingly.
He also stressed the need for a dedicated training institute and suggested transforming the association’s building into a modern training centre to strengthen professional capacity.
Highlighting the role of the media in safeguarding democracy, he warned that fascism can emerge like a contagion and called on journalists to remain vigilant.
Managing Director of Bangladesh Journalist Welfare Trust Mohammad Abdul Basir (Basir Jamal), Prin-cipal Information Officer (PIO) of the Press Information Department (PID) Yakub Ali, and other jour-nalist leaders were also present.
The meeting discussed professional development, training and various demands of photojournalists in detail.
