Media Unity, a newly formed platform of producers, professionals and officials of private TV channels, has urged the Bangladesh Bank and the National Board of Revenue (NBR) to investigate ‘money laundering’ in the name of putting advertisements in foreign television channels.
The organisation has also warned of waging an agitation if effective steps are not taken within this month to stop ‘money laundering’. Private TV channel ATN Bangla chairman Mahfuzur Rahman said, “Some people are taking away the advertisements from our local TV channels to foreign channels. We are giving them a deadline until November to stop putting advertisements on foreign channels. If they still continue this practice, we will jointly resist them.” Media Unity members said some companies are laundering large sums of money in the name of placing their advertisement on foreign TV channels, which are also playing a role to destroy the country’s own culture.
If the government does not take necessary measures to prevent such irregularities, the platform will take the issue to the court, added Media Unity members.
Ekattor TV Chief Editor Mozammel Babu said, “The foreign pay channels that telecast in Bangladesh must be instructed for ‘zero-advert’ transmission.
This will prevent foreign products from gaining access to Bangladesh market through advertisements on foreign TV channels.”  “Also, the people who are laundering money from the country by misusing the law to send money abroad have to be brought to justice,” Babu added.
The Media Unity platform was formed yesterday by senior officials and investors involved in TV media at a programme in the capital. The organisation also formed an executive committee with private television channel Ekattor TV chief editor Mojammel Babu as its convener and Desh TV managing director Arif Hasan as the member secretary.
Ekushey TV CEO and chief editor Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul, also the president of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ), said, “Some foreign TV channels are being telecast for Bangladeshi viewers by using the money of Bangladesh advertisers. There is no legitimate permission for those channels to go on air within Bangladesh.”
Speakers at the programme also said cultural exchange can never be one sided. If Indian TV channels are allowed to be telecast in Bangladesh, the Bangladeshi channels should also get the same privilege in India. They urged the government to take immediate steps in this regard.
Drawing attention to the Ministry of Finance, Bangladesh Bank and National Board of Revenue, the speakers alleged that a quarter is laundering money in a planned manner by misusing the provision of marketing country’s products by advertising abroad. While such moves are causing serious harm to the country’s TV industry, the government is not taking any steps in this regard, they alleged.