Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday announced a total of Tk 20 crore financial assistance for Journalists Welfare Trust.
She came up with the announcement during a cheque/allowances distribution ceremony among the family members of ill, insolvement, injured and deceased journalists at Shapla Hall of her office in the city at 10 am.
Earlier, the Prime Minister inaugurated the operation the trust fund with the donation of Tk 5 crore.
She said that we got only a television and a radio while came to power in 1996. Then, we opened the television in private sector. Permissions were given also as per demands of Newspaper and Radios. Notwithstanding, i didn’t notice their good job.
We are working for the welfare of not only journalists but also all professional people. I think it’s my responsibility and duty. Because, Bangabndhu used to work also for the welfare of the people. Closely, i noticed the lifestyle of journalist how. They have no security of job and salary. That’s why, i constituted the Bangladesh Journalists Welfare fund, she added.
Chaired by information minister and chairman of the trust Hasanul Haq Inu, the function was addressed, among others, by PM’s media adviser Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, state minister for information Tarana Halim and chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on information ministry AKM Rahmatullah, president of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists Molla Jalal and secretary general Shaban Mahmud, president of Dhaka Union of Journalists Abu Jafar Surjo and general sectary Sohel Haider Chowdhury.