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Dhaka Tribune

Top court orders resumption of Channel 1 broadcast

Channel 1 was shut down in 2010, after the then-government revoked its frequency allocation

Update : 24 Feb 2025, 12:02 PM

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Monday suspended the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission’s (BTRC) decision to shut down private television channel Channel 1, clearing the way for its broadcast to resume.

A bench led by Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam issued the order on Monday.

Barrister Ruhul Kuddus Kajol represented Channel 1 in the hearing.

Earlier, on January 23, the Appellate Division’s Chamber Judge granted Channel 1 permission to file an appeal, ending a 16-year wait for legal recourse. Senior lawyers Ruhul Kuddus Kajol, Palash Chandra Roy, Kazi Akhtar Hossain, Mohammad Masum Billah, Barrister Maruf Ibrahim Akash, and Mohammad Masum Billah represented the channel in court.

Channel 1 was shut down on April 27, 2010, after the then-government revoked its frequency allocation. Allegations suggest that the closure was politically motivated, with former prime minister Sheikh Hasina reportedly pressuring BTRC to take action against the popular broadcaster.

Following the shutdown, Channel 1 authorities filed a case in the High Court, but the petition was dismissed, allegedly due to government influence.

Mizan-ul-Haq, the channel’s legal officer, stated that after the student-led July uprising, the case was revisited, leading the Chamber Judge to allow an appeal.

Expressing satisfaction with the ruling, Channel 1’s Managing Director, businessman Gias Uddin Al Mamun, said: “The channel was unfairly shut down. Today, the court has ensured justice.”

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