DHAKA, Jan 7, 2022 (BSS) - Mayor of Khulna City Corporation (KCC) Talukder Abdul Khaleque today distributed cheques among the newsmen, family members of deceased journalists to help them to tide over their problems and financial assistance to the journalists amid the Corona virus crisis.

Khaleque, also the President of city unit Awami League, distributed the cheques at a function at Journalist Humayun Kabir Balu Auditorium of Khulna Press Club here. 

Terming Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as journalists friendly, the mayor said “We believe that the state is for all. So, everyone would get the assistance of the state irrespective of thoughts and opinion even he or she criticises the government strongly or not our supporter.”

Terming journalists as the front fighters during the corona virus epidemic, BFUJ secretary general Dip Azad said, “Journalists, who have recently become jobless, remained out of jobs and are not getting their wages for long, would come under the special assistance programme with each journalist is getting Taka 10,000.”
 
“About 59 journalists received Taka 20.50 lakh Taka as financial assistance from the Journalists welfare Trust in Khulna and a total of Taka 90 lakh has been given to the Khulna journalists, so far,” he said, adding that a total of Taka 7.70 crore has been distributed among the journalists across the country.

He also said, the children of the journalists will get education stipend from the Journalist Welfare Trust from next March.

Later, the Mayor handed over the cheques of Taka 20.50 lakhs among the distressed journalists and family members who died recently in various diseases including corona virus.

Chaired by the President of Khulna Union of Journalists (KUJ) Md Faruk Ahmed, Khulna Deputy Commissioner Khondokar Yasir Arefin, Khulna Press club president and general secretary S M Nazrul Islam and Mamun Reza, ex-president Mokbul Hossain Mintu, S M Zahid Hossain and Munsi Mahbub Alam sohag , among others, spoke at the meeting. 

KUJ general secretary Asaduzzaman Khan Reaz delivered the welcome speech.