Dhaka: The High Court today cleared the way for the authorities concerned to resume the broadcasting of CSB News, a private television channel which was shut 17 years ago.
CSB News, a satellite TV channel of Focus Multimedia Company and the first 24-hour Bangla news channel in the country, began transmission on February 21, 2007.
The then military-backed caretaker government on September 6, 2007 cancelled the transmission and frequency licences of CSB News on charges of committing forgery in obtaining frequency licence.
Today, the High Court stayed the order of cancellation of the transmission and frequency licences of CSB News.
The High Court bench of Justice Md Kamrul Hossain Mollah and Justice Kazi Zinat Hoque issued the stay order following a writ petition filed by Fazlul Quader Chowdhury Fayyaz, managing director of Focus Multimedia Company in September, 2008, challenging the order of cancellation of the transmission and frequency licences of CSB News.
Petitioner’s counsel AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon told The Daily Star that the then caretaker government had cancelled the transmission and frequency licences of CSB News as it had broadcast the arrest of BNP chairperson and former prime minister Khaleda Zia.
There is no legal bar to resume the broadcasting of the TV channel following the HC order, he added.
Fazlul Quader Chowdhury Fayyaz said they will resume the broadcasting of the TV channel in three to six months.
Earlier on February 9, the HC following the same writ petition issued a rule asking the government to explain why cancellation of the transmission and frequency licences of CSB News should not be declared illegal.
The rule is still pending with the HC, Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon added.
