Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan has announced that the process to form the 10th Wage Board will commence very shortly.

The Minister shared this update during a parliamentary session in response to a query from Opposition Member of Parliament, Sheikh Monjurul Haque Rahad.

The Minister explained that although the 9th Newspaper Wage Board was gazetted on September 12, 2019, its full implementation was stalled due to disputes between journalists and newspaper owners regarding income tax payments.

Legal Hurdles and Future Plans
Currently, six writ petitions or civil petitions related to the implementation of the 9th Wage Board are pending in court.

The Minister noted that the government is taking steps to resolve these legal complexities while simultaneously initiating the formation of the 10th Wage Board.

Journalist Protection and Professional Standards
Highlighting the government's commitment to the media, Minister Swapan mentioned several initiatives aimed at protecting journalists and enhancing professional standards:

Journalist Protection Assistance Cell: Established to ensure the dignity, capacity building, and safe working environment for media professionals.

Legal and Technical Support: Work is underway to provide aid to journalists facing threats, physical attacks, or digital harassment.

Special Focus: The framework includes special benefits for female journalists and digital security training.

Press Council Initiatives: To curb "fake journalism," the Bangladesh Press Council plans to set educational qualifications for journalists and create a comprehensive online database.

Television Industry Overview
Providing a status update on the country's broadcasting sector, the Minister shared the following data:

State-run Channels: 4

Private Channels: 55 have received approval, with 37 currently in full broadcast.

New Licenses: No new television channel approvals are currently under process.