HC issues rule on 9th Wage Board Award gazette

The High Court issued on Tuesday a rule upon the government bodies concerned to explain in four weeks as to why the published gazette notification of the 9th wage board award for the journalists and employees of newspapers and news agencies should not be declared illegal.

The High Court bench of Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury and Justice Md Ashraful Kamal passed the order after hearing a supplementary petition filed by Newspaper Owners' Association of Bangladesh (NOAB) on October 14 challenging the legality of the wage board award.

Advocate Yousuf Ali appeared in the court on behalf of the writ petitioners while Deputy Attorney General Saifuddin Khaled stood for the state.

Information Secretary, Labour Secretary and Chairman of the 9th wage board have to comply with the rule within four weeks.

Advocate Yousuf Ali said, "There is no bar to implement the recommendations of the 9th wage board as the High Court issued only a rule."

The information ministry has published the gazette on the "Ninth Wage Board Award" for journalists and employees of newspapers and news agencies, on September 12, on its website. The gazette came into effect on the date of publication.

Earlier on August 05, president of the Newspaper Owners' Association of Bangladesh (NOAB) filed a writ petition challenging the legality of the ninth wage board award.