Licence cancellation under consideration

Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu yesterday told parliament that cancellation of the licences of two private television channels is now under consideration.

"The government is yet to take a final decision on cancellation of two private television channels -- Diganta and Islamic Television," he said while replying to lawmakers' queries.

The broadcast of two private TV stations was shut down temporarily, said Inu, adding that the government had issued show cause notices to the channels but their replies were not satisfactory. On May 6, 2013, the government shut down broadcast of the channels on allegations of airing provocative programmes centering Hefajat-e-Islam rally in the capital.

Inu informed the House that around 2,018 online newspapers from across the country had so far applied for registration with the Press Information Department.