Journalist leaders today threatened to go for tougher agitation programmes if their four-point demand, including gazette notification of the ninth wage board, is not met before the Eid-ul-Fitr.

They came up with the warning during an agitation programme in front of Jatiya Press Club in the capital today.

The programme was organised by Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ).

WHAT ARE THEIR KEY DEMANDS?

-- Issuance of gazette notification for the ninth wage board

--Halting the process of unethical layoff of media workers

--Disbursement of regular salary

--Immediate enactment of media workers’ law in the parliament

The speakers demanded that the media workers, who have been sacked recently, be cleared off all their dues as per the rules of the current wage board and that they are also raising voice against the process of laying off of media workers.

The leaders also announced to stage a broader demonstration tomorrow in the same venue involving most of the organisations of journalists to press home their demands, said Mollah Jalal, president of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalist (BFUJ).

“We will all gather here tomorrow at 11:00am to press home our demands,” he said.

Addressing the programme, Shaban Mahmud, secretary general of BFUJ also echoed the federation president and said that no journalists can be fired illegally showing any excuse under the pressure media outlet owners.

Citing a media report which said the implementation of the ninth wage board is being delayed due to the absence of ailing Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, Union of Journalists’ President Abu Jafar Surja questioned if the construction work of the Padma Bridge can advance in absence of Quader then why can’t the gazette notification be issued.