State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat on Sunday said the Bangladesh Journalist Welfare Trust (BJWT) is an evidence of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina led government's goodwill in protecting journalists.
“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina believes in the expansion and freedom of the media and the welfare and protection of journalists too,” he said.
The state minister said this while chairing the 30th meeting of the BJWT Trustee Board at his ministry’s conference room in the Bangladesh Secretariat in the capital on Sunday afternoon, according to a press release.
Keeping pace with the expansion of the country’s media in the last 15 years, he said, different initiatives have been taken for ensuring the overall welfare of the journalists.
“In 2014, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina established the BJWT by enacting the Bangladesh Journalists Welfare Trust Act.
The formation of this trust proved that the government, led by her, is the journalist-friendly one,” the state minister said.
Noting that the BJWT regularly provides financial assistance to destitute, insolvent and injured (in accident) journalists and families of deceased journalists, Arafat said the trust is going to provide Taka 2.08 crore as financial assistance to journalists and their families in the third and the last phase of the current financial year.
Process is underway to launch a scholarship programme for meritorious children of journalists under the BJWT, he said, adding, these activities are the manifestation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her government's commitment to ensure protection and welfare of the journalists.
The state minister reiterated the need for ensuring more transparency and professionalism in selecting journalists in providing welfare grants from the trust.
Senior Secretary of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry and Vice-Chairman of the BJWT Trustee Board Md Humayun Kabir Khandaker, trustee board members BJWT Managing Director Shubash Chanda (Badol), BFUJ- Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists.
President Omar Faruque, Press Institute Bangladesh (PIB) Director General Zafar Wazed, Principal Information Officer (PIO) Md Shahinoor Miah, Joint Secretary of the Finance Ministry Mohammad Sadekur Rahman, BFUJ Secretary General Dip Azad, Dainik Sangbad Managing Editor Kashem Humayun, Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) President Sohel Haider Chowdhury and Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha’s (BSS) Chattogram Bureau Chief Kalim Sarwar joined the meeting.
