Info Minister: No foreign TV channel shut in Bangladesh

The government did not shut any foreign TV channel as Bangladesh’s sky is open, said Information Minister Hasan Mahmud on Saturday.

“The agents of foreign channels and operators have stopped broadcasting as they failed to air advertisement-free programs or clean feed. There’s no restriction on broadcasting foreign channels that are giving clean feed,” he said.

The minister said this while talking to reporters at Chattogram Shilpakala Academy after attending a symposium on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s birthday.

“Foreign TV channels have been airing programs in Bangladesh over the years ignoring our law. Every year the country is losing around Tk2,000 crore worth investment because of the broadcast of foreign channels with advertisements,” he said.

Both the foreign channels and the local operators must abide by the country’s law to broadcast clean feed, said the minister.

Association of Television Channel Owners (ATCO) and others concerned have welcomed the government’s initiative and hopefully, the foreign TV channels will soon start providing clean feed to Bangladesh, said Hasan Mahmud.

It was decided that the law would be enforced from Friday after a meeting with the agents of foreign channels, cable operators and owners of local TV channels; and mobile courts are being conducted accordingly, he said.