Journalism is a noble profession where journalists selflessly serve the country and the nation as well as the entire human community through their mighty pens. Although they write for a noble cause, yet they face a grim struggle throughout their entire life. The reason is that many of them get poor and irregular pay.
Journalists write as they believe in a cause. Usually, they get into trouble when they report on reality, and in those situations their institutions do not stand behind them. They don’t have any financial security. In many cases, they don’t get regular salaries. But despite financial insecurity, they carry out their job out of love for their profession. So, after a certain period, a large number of journalists fall sick. Some of them even get crippled while doing their professional duty. As a result, they become jobless. Because of their prolonged joblessness, they face acute financial crisis. At this stage, their very survival is at stake due to their vulnerability.
However, there is a ray of hope for them. In most cases, Bangladesh Sangbadik Kalyan Trust (Journalists’ welfare Trust) comes to their aid. It stands beside insolvent journalists with financial support. In such a manner, the welfare-oriented state organisation saves the valuable lives of poor journalists and their almost ruined families.
Not only financial help for poor journalists, stipends are also distributed by Bangladesh Sangbadik Kalyan Trust among the sons and daughters of journalists who read in schools, colleges and universities. In this manner, education of the dependents of journalists become smooth enough.
Meanwhile, efforts are underway to launch health cards for journalists as treatment cost is a major problem for them. Adequate treatment support will be given to them from the journalist’ welfare trust fund. Initially, its activities will start from the capital city of Dhaka which will be ultimately extended to divisional cities and district towns.
Another important issue that I want to bring to the kind notice of all concerned. It is about the helpless elderly journalists. They render valuable service towards the country and the nation throughout their life by their writings. But they are deprived of retirement benefit or pension, while the officers and employees of government and non-government organisations are getting pension/ retirement benefit from their respective organisations after retirement. As to why, the sons and daughters of the retired journalists bear the brunt of the deplorable situation. In most cases, they are compelled to discontinue their study despite being meritorious enough. Ultimately, their lives get ruined.
According to intellectuals, journalists are the fourth pillar of the state and the mirror of society. When these journalists attain the age of 60, they are hurriedly ousted from their media houses penniless. In some cases, they sew their employers. Even then, they do not get their just money. As a result, they are advancing toward death without treatment. But none bothers to inquire about them.
However, it has been learnt that a process is going on for launching a pension scheme for these hapless journalists. We urge the authorities concerned to expedite the process, otherwise a large number of elderly journalists are leading a sub-human life due to financial crisis. If the situation lingers, they will face their untimely death.
We know that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is a journalist-friendly premier. We hope and believe that he would realise the sufferings of the elderly journalists and take necessary measures to lessen their sufferings as early as possible. They will remain ever-grateful to him for his humanitarian act.
The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author
The writer is a senior journalist. Email: [email protected]
