Speaking at two press conferences at the Secretariat, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader and Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud came up with the assurance.
Quader, also the head of the cabinet committee formed to review the wage board, said it will be possible to declare the ninth wage board by July.
“Within a few days, the ninth wage board will be finalised. I’ll announce the wage board within a few days. It’s not logical to keep it pending anymore,” he added.
Later, Hasan Mahmud said all the preparations have been taken for the announcement of the ninth wage board.
“We’ll announce it very soon. All most all the preparations have been completed and we’ll come up with the announcement after settling some trivial matters,” he said.
The minister said the ninth wage board will be announced only for the journalists and employees of newspapers and the news agencies. “Now there’s no scope to include televisions with the wage board.”
Once the broadcast act is passed, Mahmud said, a scope will be created for ensuring the proper wages of the television journalists as per the law.
The government on January 29 formed the 13-member ninth wage board, headed by retired Appellate Division Justice Mohammed Nizamul Huq, to propose enhanced salaries and other benefits for the journalists and employees working in newspapers and news agencies.
On September 11, the government announced that journalists and employees of newspapers and news agencies will receive 45 percent dearness allowance, with retrospective effect from Mar 1.