BFUJ Secretary General Kader Gani Chowdhury today criticized media owners for denying journalists fair wages, accusing many outlets of falsely claiming compliance with the wage board to secure advertisements.

Speaking at a May Day discussion at the Jatiya Press Club, organized by BFUJ and DUJ, he said journalists are part of the labor force but are often deprived of basic entitlements.

Highlighting workplace fatalities, he cited ILO data showing one worker dies every 15 seconds globally, adding that 1,432 workers died in Bangladesh in 2023 alone.

He called for stronger union action against exploitative owners and urged recognition of workers' vital contributions to society.

MN/