State of Media in Bangladesh
Like many other industries, the newspaper industry in Bangladesh is also sick. There are very few newspapers, which are hardly profitable. Most of the newspaper owners, who own a large amount of black money, have been continuing the publication paying subsidies to ‘protect’ their other interests.
Most of the journalists in the country are now in deep trouble of getting salary timely. Some of them are unpaid for a long time. It is adversely affecting their works. Only few newspapers pay salary under government fixed wages structure. Most of the newspapers pay a lump sum salary to journalists. So journalists here lead very poor life.
Another complication that is hindering development of journalism in Bangladesh is absence of high standard institutions to train journalists. Being a least developed country Bangladesh has failed to develop journalistic institutions. As a result journalists here fails to get proper training to develop their skills.
Like the readymade garment industry, newspaper employees also in uncertainty over job security. None of the newspaper owners follow any rules and dismiss journalists at any time without prior notice. Journalists can be unemployed at any time and without any payment. As a result, journalists in Bangladesh always feel lack of job security that harms their efficiency.
The barrier, which journalists in Bangladesh cannot avoid by any means, is lack of safety and freedom of expression. Bangladesh mostly stands at the top of the lists, countries where journalism is high risky. Each year a good number of journalists are being killed due to publishing report against the interest of vested quarters. Freedom of expression here is being tapped by both government and private functionaries. And due to declaration of state of emergency democracy in Bangladesh became just a word in paper, nothing more.
