2. About Policy
• On 4 August, 2014 a draft regulatory policy titled “National Broadcasting
Policy, 2014” has been approved by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s cabinet
and it was gazetted on 6 August, 2014
Why This Policy?
To guide the state and private television networks
• To ensure freedom of speech
• To ensure the free flow of information
• To encourage a strong, independent and responsible media
• To strengthen, accelerate and improve standard of the media and ensure healthy
competition
• To hold the values of Liberation War, Language Movement and the rights of
women and children
• To ensure the standards for programs and advertisements that will determine
the interests of the consumers.
3. Policy Content
• First chapter deals with introduction, vision-missions and strategies of the
policy
• Second chapter describes rules and regulations for receiving broadcasting
license
• Third chapter defines standards for broadcasting news and programs. For
information generative programs, programs on Liberation War and it’s
history, language-culture and religious programs, Development works,
entertainment programs, sports and educational programs should maintain
code of conduct
• Fourth chapter contains policies for broadcasting advertisement where
political & religious comments, product quality and consumer rights,
Liberation war, language & culture, rights of women and children should
keep in consideration in broadcasting advertisements.
• Fifth chapter describes different broadcasting related issues
• Sixth chapter deals with the formulation of Independent Broadcasting
commission and its role
• Seventh chapter combines relevancy of this policy with other related Act
and policy.
4. Limitation in the Articles
• Independent broadcasting commission
• No news against Armed forces and other law
enforcement bodies
• No news against friendly nations
• Ban on airing statement against state and human
rights
• Ban on non-authentic information broadcasting in
talk shows
5. Independent broadcasting
commission
# Chapter six describes configuration, roles and
responsibilities of Broadcasting Commission
Problems
• Politicization of Broadcasting Commission
• No specific time period for formation of commission
• Fair selection of the chairman and members
• Direct and indirect control of Government in the
implementation of the policy through the ministries
• Budget dependency
• Dependency for licensing give them arbitrary power
6. No news against Armed forces and
other law enforcement bodies
• Article 5.1.5 states that “Broadcast which causes mockery or
derogatory remarks against a military or law enforcing officer,
mockery of government officials who works against crime,
who determines the magnitude of crime or officer involved in
affirming the punishments of a crime”
Problem
• It will encourage the law enforcers and armed forces to
commit human rights violations
• IT’s against equality of right stated in our constitution
• This is against the spirit of democracy
Example:
7 people killed in Narayongonj and murder accused by law
enforcement members
7. No news against friendly
nations
• Article 5.1.7 states that “ Leakage of information to any country or
broadcasting that may cause distrust or conflict between Bangladesh and
any other country, broadcasting of propaganda against a friendly country of
Bangladesh that may cause distrust among the nations”
Problems:
• Negative review cause awareness among the people and government
• Border killing, winning of sea border, Water distribution in Tista, killing
and rape of the Bangladeshi workers or employees in Malaysia, Saudi
Arabia and other countries in Middle East are some of the issues that came
to the lime light due to media coverage.
• No identification mark stated in the policy which describes the list of the
friendly nations.
8. Ban on airing statement against
state and human rights
• Article 3.2.1states that “ Directly or through
Advertisement no speech against state and human
rights will be aired at any cost”
Problems:
• ‘Threat to national security’, “against state” how will
that be determined?
• Criticism against government actions can also be
granted as “against state”
9. Ban on non-authentic information
broadcasting talk shows
• Article 3.2.2 states that “Broadcast of misinformation are
distorted truth is strictly prohibited in discussion or talk shows.
However participants can present their argument with relevant
information and logic;”
Problems:
• How to determine the false and misleading information
• Criticism of government or political statement made by the
opponent parties can be banned under this clause
Example:
History of liberation war creates controversy
10. Impacts
• Less feasible to attain policy goal and objectives
• Contradiction with right to information act
• No clear rules, regulation or guideline for online
media
• Biased media community
• No clear rules and regulation for online media
• Discourage criticism and encourage only positive role
of government
• Control over advertisement industries
11. Conclusion
• Some articles in the policy can be misused by
government for their political purposes
• Controlling broadcasting media, an important
stakeholder, through the policy will abolish
free, fair and neutral role of media.
• If can create a great damage in governance
system and hamper democracy.
