How professional is journalism in Bangladesh?

The International Workers’ Day, or May Day, was observed in Bangladesh with considerable fanfare, in step with global celebrations. Various organizations held rallies, meetings, and seminars focusing on labor rights. Everywhere, strong speeches were delivered, and hopeful words were shared. We hear these hopeful promises every year, yet not even a fraction of them gets implemented. In fact, injustices against workers seem to increase with each passing year. A visit to the Department of Labour makes this reality clear—protests by workers with demands and grievances are an almost daily affair.

Interestingly, it is the media that tends to be the most vocal during May Day. Newspapers feature striking images of men and women laboring with baskets of bricks or hammers in hand. Editorials and op-eds discuss the deprivation of workers’ rights, with contributions from prominent journalists and intellectuals. Television channels broadcast special reports and host talk shows highlighting labor exploitation. Calls for government action and numerous policy suggestions are common. Yet, I can't help but wonder—do the journalists producing these reports enjoy the very rights they are advocating for? We all know the answer, though no one dares to speak it aloud.

This year, as I browsed through the leading national dailies and online news portals, I found the same old recycled May Day pieces. What shocked me the most was that not a single outlet mentioned journalists’ rights. Does this imply that journalists’ rights are being fully upheld? Some may even question whether journalists count as workers. Legally, the wage board categorizes journalists separately from other workers. Hence, technically, they may not be considered laborers. However, legal disputes regarding journalists' pay are still adjudicated under labor laws. By that logic, they are workers. Some even describe themselves as “pen workers.” Whether journalists are workers or not is a debate for another time—my concern is their rights.

Personally, I believe journalists are deprived of their rights—especially when it comes to pay, where extreme disparities exist. Take my own experience: I worked at Alokito Bangladesh under the latest wage board, and later at several other organizations. In some places, the pay was close to wage board levels—at times even higher—but never officially under the board. Why? Because being under the board would mean employers must provide additional benefits. A few months ago, a colleague from a well-known media house visited me. He shared that his employer had nullified his wage board status and reappointed him on a contract basis, even though the salary remained the same. At many large media houses, only a handful of staff now fall under the wage board; the rest are on contract. When I hire, candidates lower their eyes when salary is discussed, knowing that management has set a strict cap. I often have to offer significantly less than wage board standards. Many applicants ask, “How can I survive on this? Can’t you increase it a little?” Some walk away; others accept the harsh terms. Such is the cruel reality.

A Risky Profession
About 15 or 16 years ago, I asked a senior colleague why journalism is considered a risky profession. He said it’s because journalists collect news at the frontlines, often risking their lives in war zones or during violent unrest. Former Dhaka University Vice Chancellor Dr. A.A.M.S. Arefin Siddique echoed this sentiment, stating that journalism is the most hazardous profession because it involves confronting falsehood with truth—and that truth comes with consequences. He said this during a PIB event on March 9 last year.

While I respect both individuals, I must disagree. The biggest risk in journalism is not the physical danger—it’s job insecurity. A journalist may leave the office today and not be allowed back tomorrow. There's no guarantee. Senior Assistant Editor of Amar Desh, Sanjeeb Chowdhury, once remarked that a journalist’s job is like a women’s seat on a bus—you may be asked to vacate at any time to make room for someone else.

Two Major Shocks
Bangladeshi journalism has faced two major shocks. The first came during the COVID-19 pandemic. A large number of journalists lost their jobs, while many saw their salaries slashed—allegedly due to declining ad revenues. Even when the situation improved and ads returned, wages did not. In some houses, salaries are still pending. There are exceptions, of course. The second shock came on August 5 last year, following the fall of the Awami League government. Barring a few outlets, top editorial positions were reshuffled—Awami League-aligned journalists were replaced by those seen as loyal to the BNP-Jamaat. One faction of the Dhaka Union of Journalists is known for its Awami League affiliation; the other for BNP-Jamaat ties, though both contain neutral members. These political affiliations have cost many their jobs. Never before has a government change triggered such a sweeping overhaul in media leadership.

In-House Politics
Almost every media house has its own internal politics, with factions that often undermine each other. One group may plot against another to eliminate rivals. The faction with numbers usually wins. Neutral journalists suffer the most—they’re trusted by no one and often lose their jobs first. Another major flaw in journalism is favoritism. I’ve seen completely incompetent people land high-paying jobs simply because of their powerful connections. Meanwhile, skilled, hardworking staff remain underpaid and unpromoted—often shown the door for not being “someone’s person.” Such cases are alarmingly common.

Lack of Unity
Disunity is one of journalism’s biggest weaknesses. Journalists are deeply divided into factions. When a colleague loses a job, others stay silent—or even laugh. But soon, it’s their turn. Compare this with garment workers—if someone in Gazipur is fired, workers in Dhaka factories take to the streets. They protest unpaid wages. In contrast, we remain unmoved by our colleagues’ suffering. How many of us actually receive government-mandated wages? How many houses pay salaries on time? Just two days ago, I saw on Facebook that Janakantha employees were protesting unpaid wages—yet no journalists from other outlets joined them, nor did any union leaders show up, despite the abundance of journalist associations. Owners are exploiting this disunity.

43% of Journalists Suffer from Depression
Around 43% of Bangladeshi journalists are depressed about their profession, while nearly 72% are considering career changes. These findings come from a 2021 study conducted by the Journalism and Media Studies Department of the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB), led by faculty member Aminul Islam. Titled An Investigation into Risk to Mental Health of Bangladeshi Journalists, the study covered 191 journalists across print, television, and online media. It was later published in IGI Global’s Handbook of Research in Discrimination, Gender Disparity and Safety Risk in Journalism. The survey found that 42.9% of journalists suffer from depression—48.48% of them men, 41.77% women. About 71.7% want to leave journalism, citing professional uncertainty as the main reason. Roughly 85% fear job insecurity. Other causes include lack of timely promotions, low pay, and excessive workload. Reporters are more prone to depression (44.32%) compared to sub-editors (34%) and news editors (28.57%). Many talented individuals leave the profession altogether. According to Aminul Islam, mental health is a serious issue for journalists—but awareness remains alarmingly low in Bangladesh.

Dire Conditions in the Distrits
The proverb “fighting forest buffaloes on an empty stomach” perfectly describes the plight of regional journalists. Most media houses don’t pay their correspondents outside Dhaka—some don’t even offer honorariums. In fact, some bosses expect gifts from them. I recently spoke to a journalist from Sirajganj who said one of his editors demanded Tk 1,000 for publishing a story! Some houses offer token payments or pay per article. Their only real source of income is advertisements—of which they receive a cut. But often, even that is delayed or denied. Despite doing triple the work—reporting, taking photos, collecting ads, and fulfilling editorial demands—regional journalists have to battle local thugs, corrupt officials, and extortionists to do their jobs.

Sirajul Islam: journalist.