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The 9th and 10th Wage Boards will be implemented together, said Dr. Zahed Ur Rahman, the Prime Minister’s Adviser for Information and Broadcasting.
He said journalists’ welfare and benefits would receive due importance alongside the implementation of the new national pay scale. According to him, ensuring job and livelihood security for journalists is essential for maintaining quality journalism.
“Journalists’ issues are a real problem,” Zahed Ur Rahman said while responding to questions from journalists at a briefing on the progress of various government activities on Tuesday (September 1).
Asked about ensuring government-supported benefits for journalists working in private newspapers and television outlets, as well as implementing the 9th and 10th Wage Boards, he said the relevant ministry is working on these issues, including the crisis facing the electronic media.
Journalists pointed out that although discussions on the 9th Wage Board had taken place after the 8th Wage Board, questions remained about its implementation. They also stressed the need to implement the long-pending 10th Wage Board.
In response, the adviser said, “Of course, it will be implemented. I do not disagree with you.”
When asked whether the 9th and 10th Wage Boards would be implemented together, he replied, “Together.”
The adviser said the government was committed to the matter on principle and would take steps quickly. “If we cannot properly ensure journalists’ jobs and livelihoods, we will not get better journalism,” he said.
New Pay Scale and Inflation : Zahed Ur Rahman also discussed inflation and the proposed new pay structure at the briefing.
He said inflation of around 5 to 6 percent in Bangladesh could be considered manageable and relatively healthy. However, inflation had remained in double digits for a long time and had exceeded the 10 percent mark, although it has declined somewhat recently.
Asked whether the new pay scale could push inflation higher, he said there could be some inflationary pressure if the salaries of a large number of people increase. However, he stressed that the new pay structure would not mean that everyone’s salary would double.
He explained that because a new pay scale had not been introduced for a long time, the salaries of many government employees had gradually approached the levels expected under a new scale through regular annual increments. As a result, when the new scale is implemented, many employees may not see their salaries increase at the rate they might otherwise have expected.