Bangladesh decides to ban Peace TV online after cancelling channel broadcast

The government, after cancelling the permission to air Peace TV in Bangladesh, has decided to take it off from online sites as well.

The measures will be in place after talks with Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission, Tarana Halim, State Minister for Telecommunication, told bdnews24.comon Monday. 

"The process to close down the URLs for online viewing of Peace TV online is underway," said BTRC Chairman Shahjahan Mahmood on Monday.

Cable operators throughout the country have started stopping the telecast of the channel owned by controversial Mumbai-based Islamic preacher Zakir Naik.

The information ministry issued a circular on Monday, a day after the Cabinet committee on law and order decided to take the channel off air.

The decision followed allegations that the Indian televangelist’s speeches, debates and interpretations of issues relating to Islam were ‘inspiring acts of terror’.

The circular read, “Based on the Cabinet committee’s decision, the foreign free-to-air TV channel Peace TV’s downlink permission has been cancelled for violating downlink conditions.”  

It ordered ban on all types of Peace TV broadcast. 

Zakir Naik has more than 14 million followers on his Facebook page, among them 4 million, he claims, are from Bangladesh.  

His speeches, debates are available on various sites including YouTube.     

State Minister Tarana said: “It is a government order... they (Peace TV speakers) have opposed the rights of woman. So it’s our duty to implement it.”

All URLs for Peace TV contents were being listed, said the BTRC chief.
 
“They will be closed down as soon as we have them. We have the order, so we have started the work already.”

At least two of the attackers who stormed Gulshan’s upscale Holey Artisan Bakery and O’ Kitchen killing 20 hostages, mostly foreigners, were said to be have been his followers on social media.

 

Naik is the founder and president of Mumbai-based charity organisation Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), which owns Peace TV. The contents in English, Urdu and Bangla are broadcast from Dubai.