Channel 1 to challenge govt decision
The management of Channel 1 has decided to go for a legal battle against the government's decision to suspend the transmission of the private television channel.
The channel authorities at a press briefing yesterday sought the prime minister's intervention in this regard.
The government on Tuesday evening clamped a moratorium on the Channel 1 transmission for using rented broadcasting equipment in violation of the law.
Channel 1 Director Mazidul Islam, however, at the briefing claimed that One Entertainment Limited, the owning company of Channel 1, still owns the equipment, which was mortgaged to Prime Bank.
He said the bank sent a letter on April 14, 2010 in this regard to Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (BTRC) saying One Entertainment broadcasting equipment had not been transferred to any other company.
“We are getting ready to take legal steps against the government move,” Mazidul said.
Zia Ahmed, chairman of BTRC, said Peoples Entertainment won the bid and wanted to buy the channel. BTRC has the court judgment on the issue.
“The court also expressed its anxiety about the process of selling equipment to another party,” he added.
The Channel 1 director announced that their employees will receive salaries in due time for the next six months. He, however, said, “The management is not ready to continue with the financial burden for a long time.”
“I am not talking about laying off the channel. But it's a reality that without earning no organisation can run.”
Channel 1 was established on June 1, 2005. It started broadcasting on January 24, 2006 with 400 employees. The channel's founder Giasuddin Al Mamun is known as a close associate of BNP Chief Khaleda Zia's son Tarique Rahman.
Channel 1 had sold off its broadcasting equipment and has been using machinery owned by another company. But as per law, the licensee must own the equipment, said BTRC in its notice to the channel.
One Entertainment Ltd, owning company of Channel 1, took a loan of Tk 24 crore from Prime Bank in 2005 mortgaging the broadcasting equipment. The bank put it up for auction as the channel failed to pay back the loan.
Later, a company named Peoples Entertainment Ltd bought the equipment, but as per the Telecommunication Act 2001, radio equipment is not transferable to anyone who does not have a licence issued by the BTRC, said BTRC.
Mazidul said that the management of Channel 1 tried to reschedule the loans but the bank did not come forward.
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