Shah Alamgir said this while speaking at a meeting of Bangladesh Mufassil Sangbadik Forum, a platform of local correspondents, in Dhaka on Monday.
“There are many TV channels which appoint district and Upazila correspondents who cough out Tk 100,000 as deposits each," said Alamgir.
“They don't get a salary, nothing except an identity card. They are told to use that to make an income.”
Alamgir said these TV channels don’t impart any training to them after appointment. "That’s why yellow journalism is on the rise.”
“We’ve seen that some people don’t get a salary but they have cars... They seem to be more influential. They travel with DCs, SPs and OCs in their official vehicles,” he added.
At the meeting, the Forum raised their 14-point charter of demands, which include listing of ‘professional journalists’ across the country.
NTV correspondent in Bhola Afzal Hossain questioned how they can survive without salary and allowances from the employer.
He alleged that the employer even asked for money from them.