Cable operators across Bangladesh will stop airing foreign channels in keeping with the government's clean feed policy. This will commence from October 1 and channels from neighboring countries such as India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Pakistan will not be allowed to air content in Bangladesh, unless they broadcast a clean feed.
"Many are thinking that the cable operators have stopped airing some channels for some reason but it's actually due to a government directive," said Cable Operators Association of Bangladesh (COAB) Founding President SM Anwar Parvez.
He added that foreign channels can no longer stream in Bangladesh with advertisement and it will continue until further directive from the government, reported The Dhaka Tribune.
Mobile Courts Will Ensure Ad-free Foreign TV Channels
Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud said on Thursday that starting Friday, mobile courts will carry out drives to ensure cable operators broadcast advertisement-free foreign TV channels in Bangladesh.
In countries like India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Nepal, "cable operators cannot broadcast foreign TV channels without clean feed", the minister said.
"The operators were already informed in August about the drive. The excuse of foreign channels not sending clean feeds will no longer be tolerated," he added.
"The concerned channel downlink distributors and cable operators will be responsible if they don't obey the law and actions would be taken against them," he said.
Why is Bangladesh Blocking the Foreign Channels?
Mahmud had earlier said that several foreign media channels have not been following the rules and restrictions laid out by the government. As a result of this, it was decided that all non-clean feed will directly be banned from here onwards.
"The channels are not transmitting clean feed even though we have urged them repeatedly to do so," Mahmud said. "We have decided we cannot let any more foreign channels air without the clean feed policy after September 30."
As per the policy laid out by the Bangladesh government, all foreign media channels are advised to focus their content as per the region of content airing. This would mean that the advertisements produced by and for Indian channels should not be aired in Bangladesh, reported WION.
The minister also said that this decision was conveyed to his Indian counterpart a few days ago. "I informed the matter of implementing clean feed broadcasting to my Indian counterpart during my recent visit to India," said Mahmud.
