Bangladesh
Digital Security Act Journalist protest demanding amendment in Digital Security Act
Dhaka, 23 October 2022 : Journalists held a protest rally on 5 demands including amendment of objectionable section of Digital Security Act, implementation of 9th wage board in media.
If the demands are not met, they also warned to give more strict program. This demand was made in the protest rally organized by the Dhaka Journalist Union on Saturday in front of the National Press Club.
Dhaka Journalist Union President Sohel Haider Chowdhury said that currently the Digital Security Act is hanging over journalists as a sword. Whenever a report goes against someone, and whenever journalists write something on social media, cases are filed against journalists from various quarters. We have discussed this with the government repeatedly. It didn't help
29 organizations have been declared information infrastructure under the Digital Security Act. But it is not said that there will be no harassment if the journalists report or go there. He said that the Wage Board of Journalists has been mentioned, but it has not been implemented. We have no salary structure. Online or electronic media do not have what print newspapers have. We have been saying that time and again.
Journalists who participated in the protest said that a journalist left home at 8 am and returned home at 11 pm. We hear from many organizations, they say journalists have no duty to say 8 hours. Journalists are on duty all day. If the rights of journalists are not established then what will happen to us with media law. So we need to unite and speak. Journalists don't even read labor laws. So why are journalists being treated like this?
They also said, we don't have any salary structure. The implementation of 8th, 9th Wage Board has been delayed for several years. But it is not being implemented. We must accept our demands immediately. If not, we will take to the streets and demand.
