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Amar Desh Editor Mahmudur Rahman has called on authorities to institute a four-day Eid-ul-Azha break for media workers and financial benefits for those working in online news portals.
Speaking at a seminar at the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) auditorium on Thursday, he said financial incentives were the only way to compensate those running online news outlets.
“Eid holidays have been a point of discussion. Since we are now living in the digital age, we have to run [news] online. There is no alternative to this. The alternative to this is to financially compensate those who are working online. Since it is not possible to stop it.
"I do not have the power, but if I did, there would be a 10-day government holiday the next Eid. I would have given the journalists four days off. And, in online [portals], they should be financially compensated."
On the ongoing reforms, he said: "You are demanding reforms from this government. What happens when the next government comes and does not accept those reforms? We will run the state in our way. In that case, I think it is necessary to plan a little in advance about what you will do."
Criticising the Editors' Council and the Newspaper Owners Association of Bangladesh (NOAB), he said: "These two organisations are for the elite. And we are untouchable. We are considered an Islamist newspaper. In Bangladesh, being an Islamist is a crime. At least, it is a big crime in the media. The media in Bangladesh is dominated by Islamophobes. The organisations that advertise are mainly Islamophobes.”
He urged the government not to use advertisements as a tool to suppress newspapers with views that contradict the authorities.
LIST OF DEMANDS
A 16-demand point list of demands was presented to the Media Reform Commission in the seminar.
>> Include the media in the Constitution as the fourth pillar of the state
>> Enshrine the Right to Information and the Right to Internet Access as fundamental rights in the Constitution
>> Ensure the safety of journalists and the media
>> Include all media in a salary structure
>> All media should be included in the media list
>> Ensure the enrolment of journalists and provide them with a press ID number
>> Ensure permanent accreditation cards
>> Provide national media and journalist awards, as are awarded for films
>> Form a state media management board
>> Establish an independent press commission through legislation to ensure the freedom and rights of the media and journalists
>> Formulate specific laws for satellite television, radio and online media declaration
>> Take necessary training measures for all journalists to improve professional standards
>> Introduce a pension and rationing system for journalists by the government
>> Ensure housing and medical facilities for all journalists
>> Make policies to provide special support to foreign media
>> Bring social media under registration.