Owners appeal to PM for protecting newspaper industry

Staff Correspondent: The Bangladesh Sangbadpatra Shilpa Parishad, an organization of newspaper owners, has drew Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s attention, urging her to take effective measures to sustain the newspaper industry.
The appeal to the premier was made during a regular meeting held at the Daily Industry newspaper office in Dhaka on Saturday, with Dr. Enayet Karim, the President of the organization, in the chair.
The meeting reiterated its 14-point demand, including the payment of all outstanding advertisement bills owed to newspapers by government agencies, including the DFP, by next June.
The meeting expressed regret that the government and relevant authorities have yet to heed the publishers’ demands to settle the dues before the Holy Eid-Ul-Azha.
The meeting decided to discuss the next course of action in the subsequent meeting if the demands are not met before Eid.
Other demands of the organization include formulating policies for the equitable distribution of government advertisements, including at least 4 Bengali and 2 English newspapers of every govt advertisement, ending price discrimination of government advertisements in English and Bengali newspapers, introducing government advertisement rates on the online portals of registered newspapers, and increasing the rate of government advertisements based on market inflation.
The demands also included providing low-interest loans for the newspaper industry, accommodation for journalists-employees, a special allocation of Tk 5,000 crore, the introduction of a special pension scheme for journalists and media workers, the repeal of all black laws including the Digital Security Act, and granting VIP status to all editors and publishers.
The meeting, moderated by General Secretary of the organization Yunus Sohag, was attended by, among others, Mominur Rahman Mamun, adviser of the organization and Chairman of Dainik Swapna Protidin Publication Group, Freedom Fighter Md Faruk Alam Talukder, Chairman of Dainik Alor Jagat; Freedom Fighter Md. Nurul Islam, Editor and publisher of Daily Panjeri, KM Belayet Hosain, Editor and Publisher of Daily Bhorer Dak; Md Fojlur Rahman Zulfiker, Editor of Dainik Diner Alo; Md Abdul Awal, Editor and Publisher of Dainik Sangbad Protikkhon; Ayon Ahmed, Editor of Protidiner Chitra; Md Habibur Rahman, Chief Editor of Dainik Bhorer Somoy; Muha Nurul Aziz Chowdhury, Editor and Publisher of Daily Amader Jagoran; Md. Rajaul Karim, Editor and Publisher of Daily Matribhumir Khabor; Nejamul Haque, Editor of Daily Ajker Provat; Md. Moniruzzaman, Editor of Daily Bank Bima; Adv Md. Rashed Uddin, Publisher of Daily Biswa Manchitra; Ovi Chowdhury, Editor and Publisher of Daily Business File; Rafiqul Islam Shanta, Editor of Dainik Tarun Kantha; Advocate MA Majid, Editor and Publisher of Dainik Mukta Totthya; Rezaul Karim, Editor and Publisher of Matribhumir Khobor, ARM Mamun, Editor and Publisher of Dainik Somoyer Chitra, Chairman of Editorial Board of Dainik BandhuJon and Director of Publication Group, Asif Hasan Nabi, Editor and Publisher of Amader Jagoran Nurul Aziz Chowdhury, Editor and Publisher of Dainik Nabobani SM Salim Ullah Sarker, Editor and Publisher of Dainik AgniShikha, Editor and Publisher of Daily Evening News ABM Selim Ahmed, Editor and Publisher of Dainik Alor Barta and Daily State Prof Rafiqullah Shikder and Editor and Publisher of Daily Challenge Nasir Al Mamun.