Dhaka, Mar 15 (bdnews24.com) – Ekushey Television is a victim of a 'conspiracy' of a minister, the private TV station's chairman suggested on Thursday.
"Also, the BTRC notice to ETV is intentional and an act of harassment," Abdus Salam, also chief executive, told a press briefing at the channel's office.
When journalists asked Salam to name the minister, he said, "I don't believe in attacking anybody. You [journalists] know the mass media is under which ministry."
Abul Kalam Azad is the minister for information.
Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission on Mar 11 had sent a notice to ETV saying its broadcast was illegal since it did not have necessary legal papers.
Salam said the reply of the notice was submitted on Thursday morning.
He said they wrote to telecoms regulator that all the charges and fees as per demand had been paid until 2012.
PM 'SYMPATHETIC'
The ETV chairman said prime minister Sheikh Hasina had all the sympathy for his TV station.
"She certainly knows nothing about it. She will not support this if she gets to know," Salam said.
He said Hasina had inspired to re-launch ETV's operation after it was closed first time.
ETV first launched as a terrestrial TV station on Apr 14 2000. But it was taken off air through a court order on Aug 29, 2002 during the tenure of BNP-led alliance government. It was back on air on Mar 29 2007 as a satellite television after securing broadcast permission on Apr 14 2005.
'BTRC NOTICE AKIN TO CONTEMPT OF COURT'
On April 22 2007, BTRC had asked ETV to pay Tk 300.926 million within 15 days and said spectrum allotted for the channel would be cancelled if it did not pay.
It also asked how it was continuing the broadcast even after postponement of spectrum and without any radio apparatus licence, for which it had not even appealed.
According to Salam, ETV had moved the High Court challenging the effectiveness of the notice.
"The court stayed the effectiveness of the notice until verdict. The writ petition is still awaiting verdict."
"To issue a letter on the basis of another one whose effectiveness is stayed by the court is similar to a contempt of court," the ETV chairman said.
Telecom laws have a provision to sentence illegal broadcasters to 10 years in jail and Tk 3 billion fine.
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