Owners have to pay income tax of journalists: HC

In a verdict, the High Court (HC) on Sunday ruled that the owners of the respective institutions would pay the income tax of journalists and workers of newspapers and news agencies.

After final hearing on a rule issued by it earlier, a High Court bench comprising Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam and Justice Md Shohrowardi declared illegal the two provisions of the 9th Wage Board, which imposed conditions for the journalists and workers of newspapers and news agencies to pay their own income tax instead of the employers and they will get only one gratuity instead of two gratuities in a year.

Barrister Akhtar Hamid, counsel for the petitioner, told media that the High Court declared illegal the two provisions of the ninth wage board award involving the payment of income tax of journalists and workers of newspapers and news agencies and their gratuity.

According to the 12th chapter of the ninth wage board award, the journalists and workers of newspapers and news agencies will have to pay their own income tax instead of the employers and they will get only one gratuity instead of two gratuities in a year.

Now, the owners of the media have to pay the income tax of its employees following the High Court order, he added.

The government on January 29, 2018 constituted the 9th Wage Board to propose enhanced salary and other benefits for journalists and other employees of newspapers and news agencies.

Later, the cabinet committee incorporated two conditions in the 9th Wage Board regarding the payment of income tax of journalists and workers of newspapers and news agencies and their gratuity.

On November 12 in 2019, a High Court bench issued a rule questioning the legality of recommendations made by the cabinet committee in the 9th Wage Board, including the provisions of the income tax and gratuity of journalists and employees of newspapers and news agencies.

The writ petition was filed by Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha’s Employees Union’s General Secretary Mahbubuzzaman.

According to the previous wage boards and a verdict of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, owners will pay income tax of journalists and employees and they will be given two gratuities per year, he said in the petition.

Secretaries to the cabinet division, and the ministries of information and the labour and employment were made respondents to reply to the rule within four weeks.

After the final hearing on the rule, the HC bench on Sunday made the rule absolute, declaring the recommendations of the cabinet illegal.