Govt issues order cancelling operation of Zakir Naik’s Peace TV in Bangladesh

The government has cancelled the downlink permission for controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik’s channel Peace TV needed for broadcast in Bangladesh.

The information ministry issued an order in this regard on Monday, a day after the Cabinet committee on law and order decided to take the channel off air in the country.

The decision followed allegations that the Indian preacher’s speeches, sermons and explanation of Islam-related issues were ‘inspiring acts of terrorism’ and had radicalising influence on youths.

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

It also asked relevant authorities to stop the broadcast of the channel across the country.
 
Copies of the order have been sent to the home ministry, Press Information Department, Bangladesh Television and the Cable Operators Association of Bangladesh (COAB).
 
After the Cabinet committee’s decision on Sunday, Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu had said the administrative steps would be taken on Monday morning to take the channel off air.
 
“Peace TV is not consistent with Muslim society, the Quran, Sunnah, Hadith, Bangladesh’s Constitution, our culture, customs and rituals,” he said.
 
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.
 
Initial investigations by Indian authorities have found Naik’s speeches to be provocative and objectionable. His explanations on Islam-related issues had often sparked controversies in many instances.
 
The 50-year-old Indian preacher is banned from entering the UK and Canada and Peace TV is banned in Muslim-majority Malaysia.
 
At least two of the attackers who killed 20 hostages inside Holey Artisan Bakery and O’ Kitchen at Gulshan-2 on Jul 1 night were said to have been his followers on the social media.
 
Reports have also emerged that several Indian youths, inspired by Naik’s speeches, have made their way to fight alongside the Islamic State in Syria.
 
After that, the Indian government on Friday launched a multi-pronged inquiry into controversies around the speeches and "online sermons" of the self-styled preacher.