‘I am with you’: PM tells journalists

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said she will always stand beside journalists as she always did in the past.

"Tell me, what can I do for you (journalists)? I am always with you," she said 

The Prime Minister said this while addressing a press conference on her tri-nation visit.

Her comment was involved concerns regarding journalists’ welfare and announcement of dearness allowance against the backdrop of soaring inflation. 

The press conference was held at her official residence—Ganabhaban.

Hasina returned home from London on May 9 after her 15-day official visit to Japan, the US and the UK. 

The Prime Minister said she has special feeling for the journalists as her father, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, worked as a journalist for some time.

She said her government has given a number of television channels and newspapers in private sectors aimed at generating employment for the journalists and ensuring their betterment.

The Prime Minister said her government in 2015 announced dearness allowance for the government employees every year in line with the increased inflation. 

She said they can do it as they are government employees.

But, she said, newspapers and TV channels are running under private ownership.

The owners of the media houses will take necessary measures to this end, she said.

The Prime Minister said she didn't know what the government can do in this regard.

She, however, wanted to know from the journalist leaders what her government can do, assuring them of standing beside them.

The Prime Minister said the owners of the media are rich and they have separate businesses, adding that they can take required measures to hike the salary of journalists.