Info ministry gets another 90 days to review Mass Media Employees Bill

The Mass Media Employees (Services Conditions) Bill 2022 is unlikely to be passed before the 12th parliamentary elections as the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Ministry today got another 90 days to scrutinise the proposed law.

The chairman of the parliamentary watchdog Hasanul Huq Inu sought time as the committee couldn't review the bill within the stipulated time for its presentation in the parliament. 

The parliament then unanimously approved the proposal for an extension of the time.

On 28 March last year, Information and Broadcast Minister Hasan Mahmud placed the Bill and it was sent to the parliamentary standing committee on the respective ministry for scrutiny of the proposed law.

This is the fifth time that the chairman of the parliamentary watchdog Hasanul Huq Inu sought time in Parliament for scrutiny of the Bill.

According to sources, the Jatiya Sangsad committee did not sit for a single meeting on the Bill till now.

The wages and benefits of journalists, employees and press workers, artistes of broadcast, online, and print media outlets would be fixed under the proposed law.

As per the Bill, journalists will be regarded as media professionals, not as workers.

The wage board will be applicable for journalists and employees of all the media outlets, including print and electronic, as per the Bill.