Information Minister & Broadcasting and Awami League joint general secretary Dr. Hasan Mahmud said, in the interest of the country, in the interest of the people, in the interest of all in the country's media industry, we are working to implement ad-free broadcasting or clean feed of foreign channels in accordance with the law. So it is never desirable for anyone to take a stand against the interests of the country and everyone or for someone to advocate for them.
The Information Minister was speaking on Monday (October 4) when representatives of the Association of Television Channel Owners (ATCO), an association of owners of the country's television channels, came to thank him for the steps taken to implement clean feed.
As per the law, meetings have been held with all parties for the last two years to implement ad-free broadcasting or clean feed of foreign channels and it was unanimously decided at the August meeting that we will implement the law from October 1, he said. But there is an attempt to create confusion from a quarter.
I hope they refrain from spreading this confusion. We could never have done this if the government was determined to implement the law and Prime Minister had not given us the courage.
"Our country's channels can broadcast good programs and many do," Dr. Hassan said. He said, I think it is not appropriate to advocate for those foreign channels that do not care about our law, show their thumbs up to our law and turn a blind eye to our culture.
Addressing the distributors and cable operators of foreign channels, the Minister said that all the foreign channels that provide clean feed in Bangladesh are run by Akash DTH. If others do not run these, the license will be violated. So no one will do the breach.
He added that foreign channels send clean feed to Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka. And the huge investment and technical benefits required to send clean feed are part of a misguided attempt to spread the word.
The joint general secretary of the Awami League said that no one in Bangladesh wants a cable operator's license. We have received many cable operator license applications. We are testing them. So if they break the law, break the conditions or spread confusion, action will be taken against them according to the law.
We have decided with all parties, including cable operators, to digitize the cable operating system in Dhaka and Chittagong from November 1, he said. I hope everyone will try to follow this deadline. I hope everyone will highlight the interests of the country and the rule of law.
Information Secretary Md. Maqbool Hossain said, I have held video conferences with the deputy commissioners of all the districts of the country. The government is ready to implement the Clean Feed Act.