SYLHET, Feb 6, 2025 (BSS) – Managing director of the Bangladesh Journalist Welfare Trust Muhammad Abdullah today said the government is considering the introduction of a monthly retirement allowance for veteran journalists.

“The state must take responsibility for the care of journalists during their retirement and thus, the government is considering bringing senior journalists under a monthly retirement allowance,” he said.

Abdullah was addressing a view exchange meeting on the occasion of distributing welfare grants to ailing and underprivileged journalists, as well as scholarship checks to their children, organized by the Journalist Welfare Trust, at Circuit House Auditorium here.

Chaired by Sylhet Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Sher Mahbub Murad, the function was also addressed, among others,  by Information officer of officer Md. Akikur Reza and Sylhet Metropolitan Journalists’ Union President Mohammad Badruddoza Badr and General Secretary Khaled Ahmed.

Muhammad Abdullah said, “Over the past 15 years, media institutions have suffered significant setbacks, and some journalists have collaborated with fascist regimes. However, those who sacrificed their lives in the July uprising are the true journalists,”

He said the scholarship program for journalists’ children is a landmark initiative by the interim government, easing financial burdens on journalists' families. “The government is also considering bringing veteran journalists under a monthly retirement allowance,” he said.

In the meeting, Journalists from the Sylhet division raised various demands including the implementation of a minimum wage system, implementing of wage board in rural areas, and regulation of unauthorized journalism.

Abdullah assured that the Bangladesh Journalists' Welfare Trust would gradually address these concerns as its capacity expands.

“The construction of the Trust’s office building and the establishment of dormitories outside Dhaka for journalists' accommodation are in progress, he added.

Daily Jalalabad editor and Sylhet Press Club President Muktabisun Noor, General Secretary Mohammad Sirajul Islam, Chief News Editor of Daily Sylheter Dak Enamul Haque Juber, Central Muslim Literary Society General Secretary and BSS Sylhet Bureau Chief Selim Awal, and senior journalists Amzad Hossain, Humayun Rashid Chowdhury, and Abdul Kadir Tapadar were also present on the occasion.

Earlier, welfare grants were distributed to seven ailing and underprivileged journalists, while scholarships were awarded to ten meritorious children of journalists.