If Media Employees Bill is passed, journalists will face deep crisis: BFUJ

Leaders of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) said if the Mass Media Employees (Services Conditions) Bill 2022 is passed in Parliament, the journalist community will fall in deep crisis and uncertainty.

The BFUJ came up with the observation at a meeting of the executive committee held on Friday.

Leaders of the journalists' union urged the Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud and the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting to rectify the bill by holding talks with the journalist community and journalist unions for passing the bill in Parliament.

BFUJ President Omar Faruque chaired the meeting moderated by its Secretary General Dip Azad, said a press release today.

BFUJ former President Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul, BFUJ Vice-President Madhusudan Mondal, Treasurer Khairuzzaman Kamal, leaders Sebika Rani, Angur Nahar Monty, Abdus Salam, Amir Hossain Smith, Ataul Karim Khokon, Mir Golam Mustafa, Mohammad Ali, M Shamsul Islam, Abu Taher, Zahed Sarwar Sohel, Rafiqul Islam, Tanzimul Haque, JM Rouf, Afroja Akhter Dew, HR Tuhin, Md Wahedul Alam Artist, Rashed Ripon and Hedayet Hossain Mollah attended the meeting, among others.

The BFUJ leaders said placing the bill in Parliament without holding talks with unions of journalists is unacceptable.

In the bill, most of the existing facilities of journalists have been reduced to less than half, they said.