Bill for Journalist Welfare Trust soon

Information Secretary Martuza Ahmed on Friday said a bill would be placed in the first session of the 10th parliament to form Journalist Welfare Trust. The ministry is doing all necessary works to this end, he said speaking at the inaugural session of a foundation training course for electronic media journalists at Press Institute of Bangladesh (PIB) in the city.Thirty-five reporters and newsroom editors from 35 television channels, including Bangladesh Television (BTV), are taking part in the three-day training course.Presided over by PIB Director General Shah Alamgir, the function was attended by Dainik Bhorer Kagoj Editor Shyamol Dutta and 71 Television Channel Director (News) Syed Ishtiaq Reza as special guests.The information secretary said the government gives equal importance to the both print and electronic media. The government is contemplating formation of a wage board for the journalists of electronic media, he said and referred to some limitations in laws in this regard.Shah Alamgir said for enhancing efficiencies of electronic media journalists, the PIB, if needed, would hold training programmes in joint venture with BBC and CNN. Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul, Shyikh Siraj, Syed Ishtik Reza, ZI Mamun and Shamsuddin Haider Dalim are among the resource persons of the training programme.