Private television channels: Illegal activities under legal cover
Up to 1997, Bangladeshi television viewers were rather forced to watch
just one television channel run by the state – Bangladesh Television
(BTV). Taking such advantage of monopoly, BTV was continuing to serve
the purpose of every ruling government and regime; though people of
Bangladesh were compensating this state-run TV channel with billions
of Taka through licensing fee as well it was getting advertisement
worth a few hundred million Takas every year.
Indian government opened its sky in 1992, when satellite based
television channels like Zee TV came into operation. In the entire
sub-continent, India was the only country to have its private
television channel in addition to state controlled Dur Darshan.
Private television industry started emerging in Bangladesh in 1998,
when country's first private television channel A-21 TV came into
operation using an analog transponder with Thaicom-3 satellite. Later,
Indian owned ATN channel turned into a Bangladeshi channel with the
new name and title as ATN-Bangla. Promising entrepreneur Dr. Mahfuzur
Rahman initiated this channel. With the emergence of ATN-Bangla, the
beginning of huge growth of private television channels in the country
started in full swing. Others who joined the race are Ekushey TV (the
only terrestrial based private television channel in Bangladesh, TEN
TV (later named as NTV), Channel I (owned by TV personality Faridur
Reza Shagor and Shaikh Siraj), RTV (owned by political secretary to
the Prime Minister), Channel One (owned by a number of corrupt
'businessman' having affiliations with Hawa Bhaban), Diganta TV (owned
by a leader of Jamaat-e-Islami), Bangla Vision (owned by a leader of
Bangladesh Nationalist Party), Boishakhi TV (owned by a leader of
Bangladesh Nationalist Party) and Islamic Television (owned by younger
brother of the then Prime Minister).
When Awami League formed government in 2009, a number of broadcast
licenses were issued to few more TV channels. These are, MY TV (owned
by an activist of Awami League), Desh TV (owned by Saber Hussain
Chowdhury, a leader of Bangladesh Awami Lague), Mohona TV (owned by an
MP of Bangladesh Awami League), Masranga TV (owned by a former advisor
of the military controlled interim government), Channel 71 (owned by
Awami League leaders), Somoy TV (owned by leaders of Bangladesh Awami
League), Independent TV (owned by a policymaker of Bangladesh Awami
League) and Bijoy TV (owned by leaders of Bangladesh Awami League).
It is important to note that for past few years, no broadcast license
was ever issued to any non-partisan candidates in the country, for
reason well understood. None of the political parties aspire to see
any private television channel in the country, which would go for
accurate news coverage or in other words, telling the truth to the
viewers. Needless to mention that, most of these TV channels are mere
mouthpiece of the respective political parties.
Presently there are 20 plus private television channels in Bangladesh,
while a few more TV channels will commence broadcast soon. This figure
is really huge for a country like Bangladesh, which is no bigger than
the geographical area of West Bengal in India or Iowa in United
States. And of course, this is the point of huge concern for those
program directors and especially producers, who are involving their
skill and money in making programs for these private television
channels. According to press reports, most of these private TV
channels owe millions to Takas to the program makers in the country.
Owners of the TV channels have greatly failed in even giving any
specific schedule of payment to the makers. On the other hand,
advertisement revenue from the local market is not enough even to feed
more than 7 private channels, while 20 plus channels will stand as
potential burden for the advertisers in the country. It is anticipated
that many of the TV channels with political might may flex muscles in
extracting advertisements from the entrepreneurs in future, if not
doing it already.
But, the most important point here, which needs to be addressed by the
Bangladesh Bank and the ministries concerned is, each of the private
television channels are paying at least US$ 25,000 per month as rental
of satellite transponders. In this case, an amount of US$ 500,000 plus
is going abroad to various satellite operators in the world, as rental
for the transponders. On the other hand, several TV channels, such as
Channel I, ATN-Bangla, NTV, Diganta, Ekushey TV etc are using multiple
satellites and fiber optic highways for spreading its signals to
various continents in the world, with the aim of getting more viewers.
According to Bangladesh Bank, none of the private television channels
ever approached them for any permission for regular remittance of such
huge amount of foreign currency for paying satellite transponder
rentals. Bangladesh government is also running a satellite based
channel named BTV-World, from which they will come to verify the
figure and fact about monthly rental of satellite transponders.
On the other hand, all the private television channels are required to
pay 15% of its total advertisement revenue as Value Added tax to the
National exchequer. According to latest statistics, the pending
amounts of VAT of the private television channels are:
ATN-Bangla: TK. 98.55 crore
Channel I: TK. 117.43 crore
NTV: TK. 41.76 crore
RTV: TK. 29.92 crore
Boishakhi: TK. 23.30 crore
Bangla Vision: TK. 19.54 crore
Islamic TV: TK. 3.11 crore
Diganta TV: TK. 4.07 crore
MY TV: 6.16 crore
Desh TV: TK. 5.43 crore
Departments concerned confirmed that, none of the private television
channels are paying the amount of VAT, which is mandatory on all.
Immediate investigation into the matter of payment of VAT by the
private television channels as well as legal actions for illegally
transferring huge amount of foreign currency every year in paying the
rental of satellite transponders should be initiated by the government
for the sake of transparency in this sector.
http://www.srilankaguardian.org/2010/11/bangladesh-illegal-activities-under.html
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