SC to hear NOAB president's arguments on 4 August

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (SC) will hear arguments from the Newspapers Owners Association of Bangladesh (NOAB) president AK Azad on the issue of payment of income tax of journalists and newspaper employees on 4 August. 

A three-member bench of the SC's Appellate Division led by Chief Justice Obaidul Hasan gave the order on Monday. 

On 30 June, the bench decided that the Appellate Division would hear arguments from NOAB, during a hearing on the leave to appeal petition of the Ministry of Information and the Cabinet Division against the High Court judgment on the income tax payment.

The High Court judgment on July 24, 2023, was given in response to a writ petition of the BSS Employees Association challenging the recommendation of the cabinet committee on the Ninth Wage Broad Award curtailing the existing facilities of newspaper employees regarding their income tax payment on salaries by newspaper employers.

The 9th Wage Board gazette recommended that employers will pay the income tax on the salaries of the newspaper employees. But a cabinet committee recommended that the journalists and employees of newspapers and news agencies themselves pay their income taxes.

Senior lawyer Dr Kazi Akhter Hamid and Barrister Dr. Salahuddin Dolon pleaded for BSS employees while Additional Attorney General Sheikh Mohammad Morshed and Deputy Attorney General Samarendra Nath Biswas appeared before the court on behalf of the State.

"The income tax of journalists and newspaper employees on their salaries paid by the employers is given as a fringe benefit. This was in force until the 8th Wage Board. The 9th Wage Board also recommended for its continuation, which cannot be curtailed,” Barrister Dr. Salahuddin Dolon told the court.