Wage movement for professional freedom

Mayor of Dhaka Sadeque Hossain Khoka shakes hands with Awami League General Secretary Abdul Jalil at the installation ceremony of the new executive body of Dhaka Reporters' Unity yesterday at the Jatiya Press Club. PHOTO: STAR

"The newspapers are free, but the journalists are controlled by their employers," he said while he speaking at the installation ceremony of the newly-elected committee of Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) here.

Information Minister M Shamsul Islam, Law Minister Moudud Ahmed, Mayor Sadek Hossain Khoka, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal President Hasanul Huq Inu and Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) General Secretary Mujahidul Islam Selim also spoke.

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Awami League General Secretary Abdul Jalil and presidium member Tofail Ahmed also attended the function with DRU President Shafiqul Karim in the chair.

Bhuiyan said many have brought out newspapers to make fortune and become editor-owner without having any background in journalism. But this practice should be stopped and a professional journalist must fill the post of an editor, he said.

Shamsul Islam said the government believes in press freedom and it has already ensured it. This government has never thought to curb freedom of the press. He also said the sixth wage board would be announced soon for the newspaper industry.