Writ filed to ban Indian TV channels’ broadcast in Bangladesh

NN Online: 

A writ petition has been filed with the High Court seeking an order to suspend the broadcast of all Indian television channels in Bangladesh, citing non-compliance with financial regulations and alleged provocative content.

The petition was submitted on Sunday (December 1) to the High Court’s relevant bench by Supreme Court lawyer Eklas Uddin Bhuiyan on behalf of Advocate Syeda Shaheen Ara Laily.

The writ named several respondents, including the Secretaries of the Ministry of Information and the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Chairman of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), and the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

According to Bhuiyan, the petition urges the implementation of Section 29 of the Cable Television Network Management Act, 2006, which restricts the broadcast of certain foreign channels under specific circumstances. The petition also seeks a rule asking why the court should not direct authorities to suspend Indian TV channels in Bangladesh.

“The Indian channels often air content that includes provocative news and other programs detrimental to the country’s cultural fabric and interests,” the lawyer stated. A hearing on the matter is expected in the High Court’s dual bench later this week.

This development has sparked a debate over the regulation of foreign media in Bangladesh and its implications for local and regional broadcasting policies.