Staff Correspondent, Dhaka
The Awami League government’s press wing focused on suppressing news, said Shafiqul Alam, press secretary to the chief adviser, while emphasizing that the current interim government is not following such practices.
Shafiqul Alam made these remarks during a discussion titled "Dialogue for Democratic Reconstruction: Media Context" on Sunday afternoon.
Addressing the issue of journalist salaries, he said the existing wage board system is flawed and called for its abolition.
Instead, he advocated introducing a minimum salary structure for journalists, saying: “No one should be hired below a basic salary. Minimum wage laws must be strictly enforced. Employers violating these rules should face shutdowns.”
He also criticized "underground newspapers" for undermining the profession by contributing to lower pay for journalists, urging exposure of such practices.
On the matter of intellectual property, Shafiqul Alam stressed the need for content protection and copyright enforcement for original news content, adding: “Journalism is not a cheap enterprise.”
He further emphasized the importance of a robust union for journalists, expressing concern about potential government interference in union operations, and urged journalists to resist such attempts.
Additionally, the press secretary highlighted the necessity of addressing and rectifying failures in the media to ensure they are not repeated.
