Court moved to ban Indian channels

A Supreme Court lawyer has gone to the High Court for a ban on broadcast of Indian TV channels in Bangladesh.

The petitioner, Ekhlas Uddin Bhuiyan, sought a ruling as to why Indian channels should not be prevented from airing their programmes here.

The home secretary, information secretary, BTRC chairman and IGP have been made respondents in this suit.

The petitioner appealed for taking Star Jalsha, Zee Bangla and Star Plus off air within seven days.

Bhuiyan said, "This plea may come up for hearing on Sunday in Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif and Justice Saifur Rahman's court."

The lawyer gave notice to the government on Aug 3 to ban viewing of the Indian channels in Bangladesh.

The legal notice was also sent to information minister, information secretary and BTRC chairman.

After no steps were taken within 24 hours of receiving the notice, the petitioners moved the court.

The notice states 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 serial."

Claiming that housewives, students and housemaids alike have become addicted to these channels, said, “Housemaids don’t want to work unless they are allowed to watch these shows.”

The notice was sent quoting a 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 telefilm '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.

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