Bangladesh’s interim government has approved two new private satellite television channels — Next TV and Live TV — following the same procedure used by the ousted Awami League administration, which faced criticism for politically influenced licensing.
According to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Next TV has been licensed to Md Arifur Rahman Tuhin, joint chief coordinator of the National Citizen Party (NCP), while Live TV has been licensed to another applicant named Arifur Rahman, a former Dhaka University student and ex-campus correspondent of an English daily.
Questions have been raised about the financial capacity of both licensees to operate television channels. The ministry’s media adviser Mahfuz Alam did not respond to queries about the approval criteria, as per a report on the daily Prothom Alo.
An information ministry official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the approvals were granted “following the existing practice”, while a specific broadcasting policy was still being drafted.
Media analysts and industry figures have expressed concern that the interim government, despite promises of reform, is continuing the previous administration’s opaque licensing system.
Currently, Bangladesh has 50 approved private satellite TV channels, of which 36 are on air and 14 awaiting broadcast clearance.
