High Court refuses to ban Indian TV broadcast

The High Court has dismissed a petition that had sought an order to ban broadcast of Indian TV channels in Bangladesh.

After a preliminary hearing, the vacation bench of justices Sheikh Hassan Arif and Abu Taher Md Saifur Rahman on Tuesday ‘rejected it as being not pressed’.

Lawyer Ekhlas Uddin Bhuiyan represented the petitioner while Abdul Matin Khasru argued for the cable TV network.

Deputy Attorney General Amit Talukder represented the State during the hearing.

Bhuiyan later told bdnews24.com that the defence and State had told the court that Indian channels had permission to broadcast in Bangladesh.

“I told the court that it can ban these channels considering them as a threat to the country’s culture.”

“After hearing, when court decided to dismiss the writ petition outright, I pleaded with the court to reject the petition as being not pressed, which the court accepted.”

Because of that, the petition can again be filed at another High Court bench, Bhuiyan said.

The Aug 7 plea by one Shahin Ara Laily sought a rule asking why broadcast of Indian channels should not be banned in Bangladesh.

It also pleaded with the High Court to take off the air Star Jalsha, Zee Bangla and Star Plus within seven days.

The court on Aug 21 asked for reports on whether cable networks in Bangladesh have permission to broadcast these channels.

The information was provided before the court on Tuesday.

Before filing the petition, the petitioner’s lawyer served a legal notice on the government on Aug 3 asking to stop the telecast of these channels within 24 hours.

Copies of the notice were sent to the information minister, information secretary and Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) chairman.

The petition pointed out that although many Indian channels are broadcast in Bangladesh, no Bangladeshi channels are aired in India.

According to the data published in the media, unrestricted broadcast of Indian channels had caused national channels to lose viewers.

"Our country is losing its own cultural identity. This has a negative impact on our children. Lastly, two people have even lost their lives over a dress worn by one of the characters in an Indian TV serial,” the plea said.

The petition was sent quoting a news report, 'Life lost over love for Pakhi', published on Daily Amader Shomoy.

The report mentioned that the dress 'Pakhi', named after the star in the Indian TV serial 'Bojhena Shey Bojhena', had been selling like hot cakes after being released in the market ahead of Eid.

"In the Nondoteghori village under Bhabanipur Union in Sherpur, a young man named Shahin committed suicide after failing to buy his wife an expensive Pakhi dress,” it said.

"Furthermore, a girl named Noorjahan, studying in class 2, hailing from Gobindaganj of Gaibandha, also committed suicide after she was denied the same dress."