Journos demand law to ensure their security

Amid their growing security concern, journalists here on Thursday demanded the government formulate a law to ensure their security.

They came up with the demand at the installation programme of new committee of Dhaka Sub Editors Council (DSEC) was held at Bangladesh Shishu Kallyan Parishad in the city on Thursday.

They also called upon the journalist community to form a professional unity to prevent all types of harassments and oppressions on journalists across the country.

BFUJ-Bangladesh Federal Union president Omar Faruque demanded introducing identical wage structure for all electronic media, including Television channels, online and radio and payment of arrears of the 9th Wage Board Award.

He said that such a ban would raise the possibility of publishing wrong information due to a lack of verification option.

He also urged the BB governor to allow reporters into the central bank freely, which was happening during the last 53 years, as part of efforts to assist independent journalism.

Journo leaders said that reporters have always been freely collecting information from the BB and publishing independent news.

“Sudden entry barriers are against independent journalism. As a result, there will be a risk of wrong reporting about the banking sector, which is not desired by any party,” they said.

The leaders demanded that journalists should be assisted in fulfilling their professional duties by ensuring unhindered access to the BB immediately.

Among others, DSEC general secretary Zawhar Iqbal spoke in the function.

Earlier, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) termed the ban on access of journalists to the BB as a reprehensible example of arbitrary imposition of secrecy.

Expressing deep concern over such action, the organisation has called for the immediate withdrawal of such ban on disclosure of banking and financial sector information in the public interest.