By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh may soon witness a boom in private television channels, but the government has said it will formulate a policy to watch the content and curb what the government Tuesday called “irritating and indecent advertisements”.
The policy would include measures to curb ‘controversial’ comments on religious issues, Star Online reported.
The government will soon give licence to a number of private satellite television channels for broadcasting, Information Minister Abul Kalam Azad informed parliament.
He however did not specify the number of new channels, website of The Daily Star newspaper said.
He also said the government is preparing to regulate television advertisement.
The minister said action would be taken against the television channels for failing to comply with the conditions of taking license.
Replying to lawmakers’ queries, he said the television code of advertising standards and practices is being updated.
“We will consider whether any action can be taken against broadcasting the irritating and indecent advertisements,” the minister said.
“The existing rules are not enough to stop such advertisements,” he said, urging the satellite television channel owners and high officials not to broadcast any such advertisements.
In reply to a query from a lawmaker to stop controversial comments on religious and other matters in television talk shows, the information minister said there is no policy to take action against it.
“But we will make (a) policy to this effect,” he added.
A number of private TV channels already compete for eyeballs with the official TV channel in Bangladesh.