Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud on Monday warned of legal action against those who are engaged in 'anti-government propaganda' regarding suspension of foreign channels operation in the country.
"The government hasn't suspended operation of foreign channels in the country. A vested quarter is involved in spreading rumour about the clean feed. The government is firm in implementing the law and we have enacted the law for the sake of the people, media industry and artists. There is no scope of spreading rumours on the issue," he said while exchanging view with Association of Television Channel Owners (ATCO) at a meeting held at the Secretariat.
Information Secretary Mokbul Hossain, former media adviser to the Prime Minister Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, also Chairman of the DBC and Editor of the Daily Observer, ATCO President Aunjan Chowdhury, Senior Vice President Mozammel Babu, Somoy TV Managing Director (MD) Ahmed Zubayer, Dipto TV MD Kazi Jahidul Hasan, Desh TV DMD Arif Hasan and DBC Chief Editor Manjurul Islam also joined the meeting, among others.
He urged all for standing beside the government for its decision to allow advertisement-free broadcasting of foreign channels (clean feed) for the interests of the country's people and media.
Hasan said there is no bar to operate the 24 ad-free foreign channels which have clean feed. "Some 24 foreign channels have clean feed and there is no bar to air those channels. Akash DTH is operating the channels and others can do so. If there is any need of sending letters regarding the issue, then we can provide it to the cable operators. Everyone has to follow the law and operate channels with clean feed," he added. Urging the cable operators to refrain from violating law, he said all operators of Dhaka and Chattogram must operate channels with cent percent digitized system. "Hope, everyone will comply with the decision and follow the country's law accordingly."
"Foreign channels send clean feed in Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka. It's a part of propaganda that it needs huge investment and technical supports to ensure clean feed. It's so easy with digital technology. All channels can do it. It's the responsibility of the channels and their agents to ensure it," he added.
Welcoming the government decision, leaders of ATCO said in the meeting that the country's TV channels have lost around Tk 1,200 crore annually due to broadcasting foreign channels without clean feed. The mobile courts started operating drives from October 1 under the direction of the Information Ministry to implement ad-free or clean feed broadcasting of foreign channels in accordance with Cable Network Operation Act 2006.
However, cable operators have halted broadcast of all foreign satellite channels from the same day saying that broadcasting ad-free programmes is technically not possible.
