Seven private TV channels shut down

Dhaka, Mar 15 (UNI) The Bangladesh caretaker government has clamped down on the booming electronic media business, proscribing seven private television channels today for their alleged faulty inception.

An official order stated the shut down of the channels as they were on the air ''without proper permission'' from the Ministry of Information.

The TV channels include STV USA, Channel S, Ruposhi Bangla, Falgun Music, TV-5, Bijoy TV and My TV.

Operation of any television channel comes under the publicity policy laid down in the Rules of Business 1996, the Government order said.

''It is compulsory to take permission from the Ministry of Information before up-linking any local TV channel or down-linking any foreign one in case of starting broadcast,'' the proscription notification says.

The affected TV channels were sponsored by prominent politicians and businessmen. Falgun Music was sponsored by the now-detained former Communications Minister, Barrister Nazmul Huda of the Bangladesh National Party (BNP), while the Bijoy TV belonged to the detained mayor of the port city of Chittagong, ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury of the Awami League.

UNI