Dhaka, Nov 20 (bdnews24.com)—The govenment shut down the test transmission of private Jamuna Television late on Thursday night.
Police and Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission officials went to the station's office at Pragati Sarani and forced a stop to the airing at 10:30pm for not having government clearance.
They did not let any crew of the station in.
Hours earlier in the evening, telecoms regulator BTRC in message had asked Jamuna not to go on air without the 'no-objection' certificate.
"The information ministry told both Jamuna Television and us about the need to have prior permission from the ministry to go on air.
"When Jamuna continued with their transmission without the permission, the ministry asked us to cancel their frequency. We took measures in the evening," said BTRC chairman Zia Ahmed
Jamuna Television's director (news) Shah Alamgir told bdnews24.com at 12.30am, "BTRC officials and police stopped our transmission without prior notice. They are not even allowing us to go inside."
He, however, acknowledged that they indeed had received the message faxed from the information ministry.
Alamgir said they had secured licence in 2002 but the BNP government cancelled that too.
"We resumed work after getting licence again on orders from the High Court and the Supreme Court. So, we do not need any new 'no objection' letter."
Officer-in charge of Badda Police Station told bdnews24.com that the transmission was stopped on the orders of the information ministry and BTRC.
"BTRC did it. We just helped them," he added.
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