All Parties Will Benefit If Cable Network Goes Digital: Information Minister
Minister of Information and Broadcasting. Hasan Mahmud said, viewers, operators, government will all benefit if the cable network is digital. Viewers will get more channels and clearer picture, operators will get proper accounting of business and government will get proper revenue.
At the same time, he emphasized that everyone, including marginalized groups, should have the opportunity to buy the necessary set top boxes according to their ability.
The Minister said these things in the Chief Guest's speech at the Iftar meeting organized by Cable Operators Association of Bangladesh (QUAB) at the Diploma Engineers Institute auditorium in Kakrail in the capital on Tuesday evening.
Awami League's joint general secretary Hasan Mahmud, the pioneer of converting the country's cable network to a digital system, said, "We don't want to make the network digital by blocking one area. At the beginning of the digitalization process, the analog system can also be there." However, in digital mode, all domestic and foreign channels can be seen and in analog mode, only domestic channels can be seen.
The Minister of Broadcasting reminded, ``The journey of private television in the country started with the hands of the Prime Minister, People's Leader Sheikh Hasina. As many as 36 TV channels are on air now, with more coming. Without it, there would be no TV channel owners or cable operators today. Therefore, under the leadership of whom the country is moving forward at an unstoppable speed, due to which the development of this industry, I request you to keep this progress under his leadership.
Hasan Mahmood praised the role of cable operators in bringing TV channels to people across the country, including marginalized groups, for decades. He thanked them for their cooperation in keeping foreign channels ad-free or cleanfeed broadcast and TV channels in line with the law.
In view of the demands raised by Quab leaders, he said that if cable operators start offering internet connections, the same applies to OTT platforms and all others, as one business area will enter another. Once the final draft of the OTT policy is approved by the High Court, specific steps can be taken in this regard.
General Secretary Syed Mosharraf Ali, Vice President Rashedur Rahman Malik and Syed Habib Ali, former President Anwar Parvez addressed the meeting chaired by QUAB President ABM Saiful Hossain. Ekatar TV Chairman Mozammel Haque Babu, Asian TV Chairman Harunur Rashid along with responsible officials of private television channels were present at the iftar.
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