Staff Reporter

Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said on Friday that many journalists do not receive fair salaries in line with the wage board due to a lack of unity among themselves.

He made the remarks while addressing a views-exchange meeting with journalists as the chief guest at the Mirza Ruhul Amin Auditorium in Thakurgaon.

Urging journalists to remain united, the minister said a new opportunity had emerged in the country following the July Uprising, and that it should be utilised to work for the people and the nation.

He said responsible and objective journalism can play a vital role in the country’s welfare.

Dubbing journalism a challenging profession, Fakhrul said there was hardly any place where journalists had not faced repression.

He also noted that the mystery behind the Sagar-Runi murder case remained unresolved.

Fakhrul, also the BNP secretary general, said journalism should never be looked down upon, but warned that irresponsible journalism is harmful to the nation.

He stressed that journalists should always seek comments from the accused or the opposing side before publishing a report and emphasised the need for extensive reading to ensure objective journalism.