In order to ensure better financial security for media professionals, Interim Government's Media Reform Commission (MRC) has submitted its report to the Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, outlining 20 key recommendations to bring structural changes to Bangladesh's media landscape.The report was handed over during an official ceremony at the state guest house Jamuna on Saturday.
However, among the top recommendations, the commission recommended that minimum entry salary for journalists should be equivalent to grade 9 BCS officers. According to National Pay Scale 2015, Grade 9 BCS officers receive a basic salary of Tk 22,000 with allowances as house rent, it exceeds to Tk 35,000 per month. In addition, the Commission also recommended that no journalist should be hired - whether on a temporary, permanent, or contractual basis - without an appointment letter, photo ID, and salary.
We indisputably welcome this encouraging step initiated by the MRC and expect to see prompt implementation, if not all, but the most pressing ones overdue for too long. In the long run, we expect to see implementation of all 20 recommendations once an elected political government assumes power. Moreover, now that the chief adviser himself promised to put some of the implementable recommendations to quick effect, we see no point of delay.
On November 18 of last year, the incumbent Interim Government formed the MRC aimed at making our media sector independent, stronger and objective. On that note - the latest set of recommendations have been prepared and submitted in tuned with the media sector's deserving demands.
Nevertheless, as much as the new set of recommendations are commendable, it is equally important to ensure proper and quick penalties for its violations. Reflecting back to poor implementation of all the previous media wage boards including the latest and 9th wage board - it is imperative to quick find the reasons and address them the quickest.
Previous successive governments and private media house owners have shown clear reluctance to sincerely and effectively implement wage boards in the past, we believe, it must now end.
Against the backdrop of growing concerns over the lack of adequate compensation and ongoing economic challenges faced by media professionals across the country for decades - situation demands strict and effective implementation of the 9th wage board.Whether the Interim Government would introduce the 10th wage board while at office or not, remains a separate discourse, but the existing wage board, must be implemented.
Last of all, it is not only during the period of this Interim Government, Bangladesh deserves to have a permanent media reform commission in the future which would also regulate and safeguard ethical and standard journalistic practices in the country.
