Today an appeal filed in the High Court of Bangladesh also asked why a directive should not be given to prohibit Indian television channels. The lawsuit, brought forth by attorney Ekhlas Uddin Bhuiyan, has highlighted increasing worries regarding the influence of Indian media on the culture and society of Bangladesh, according to the report.
Bhuiyan, who submitted the petition on Monday, is requesting the court to issue a directive under the Cable Television Network Operation Act 2006 to prevent the airing of Indian TV channels. The petition also raises the question of why a directive should not be issued to impose a ban on Indian TV channels in Bangladesh, according to the Dhaka Tribune. The High Court bench, which includes Justice Fatema Najib and Justice Sikder Mahmudur Razi, is anticipated to review the petition.
Bhuiyan has named the secretaries of both the information ministry and the home ministry, along with the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), as respondents in this petition. The intended ban aims to include channels such as Star Jalsha, Star Plus, Zee Bangla, Republic Bangla, and all other Indian TV channels.
The escalating worry regarding the impact of Indian media arises alongside a rise in violence and unrest in Bangladesh, particularly against religious minorities. The nation has experienced a significant uptick in violent incidents targeting Hindus and other minority groups, especially following the arrest of former priest Chinmoy Krishna Das in late October.
He was charged with sedition for allegedly raising a saffron flag above the national flag in Chittagong. After this event, assaults on temples and minority groups intensified, leading to reports of clashes between police and followers of Das, which ultimately resulted in the death of a lawyer in late November.
Given these tensions, the petition asserts that Indian television channels have been broadcasting content that exacerbates unrest, increasing divisions within the country. The petitioners contend that these transmissions damage Bangladesh’s cultural integrity and put the nation’s security and harmony at risk.
The increase in violence has led India to express its concerns about the situation in Bangladesh. Recently, Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), conveyed alarm regarding the rise in violence against minorities, cautioning about the growing prevalence of extremist rhetoric.
India has called on the Bangladeshi government to take prompt measures to safeguard and protect religious minorities, emphasizing that such incidents should not be downplayed as mere exaggerations by the media.
