Staff Correspondent:

Over Tk7.73 crore has been distributed among 1,441 sick and insolvent journalists and their family members in the last 10 months after the interim government took the office.

The Bangladesh Journalists Welfare Trust distributed Tk2.36 crore as welfare grants to 350 journalists and their families across the country, including Dhaka, on October 30 last year, said a press release received on Wednesday.

On January 30 this year, 305 journalists and their children were given one-time scholarships of Tk55.26 lakh.

Out of this, 120 students at the secondary level were given Tk14.40 lakh, 70 students at the higher secondary and diploma levels were given Tk12.60 lakh, 104 students at the undergraduate (honors) and Fazil levels were given Tk24.96 lakh and 11 students at the engineering and medical levels were given Tk3.30 lakh.

On the same day, 127 journalists and the families of deceased journalists were given Tk89 lakh as grants, it added.

Besides, Taka two lakh each was distributed to the families of five journalists martyred in the July Uprising. And Taka one lakh each was distributed to 26 injured journalists.

Later, on March 22 this year, Journalists Welfare Trust distributed cheques worth Tk1.94 crore and 90 thousand to 374 journalists and their families. Of these, 11 families were of deceased journalists and 192 journalists suffering from various diseases.

On June 3, the trust distributed welfare grants worth Tk1.63 crore and 50,000 to 254 families of sick and indigent journalists. Of these, 14 families were of deceased journalists.

Any sick or insolvent journalist and the family members of a deceased journalist can apply to the Bangladesh Journalists Welfare Trust at any time in the prescribed form for welfare grants.