United News of Bangladesh

Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon on Monday said the government is committed to implementing every provision of the July Charter, describing it as a document written with the blood of the martyrs of the July mass uprising. "We signed the July Charter, and the blood of the martyrs is intertwined with that signature. Our government wants to implement every single word of the July Charter," he said while speaking as a special guest at a discussion organised by the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) and the Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) at the Jatiya Press Club to mark the 2nd anniversary of the July uprising. No conspiracy based on religion, race to succeed in Bangladesh: Swapon Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir attended the programme as the chief guest. Swapon said the government has repeatedly stated that the objectives of the July Charter will be achieved through constitutional means. "There is no constitutional or lawful platform other than the people's elected Parliament to realise these goals," he said. He underscored the need for strengthening democratic culture, saying, "This is not something a single political party can achieve. It requires the collective efforts of all political parties that consistently remained involved in the movement and struggle," he said. The minister said the sacrifices of the July martyrs will only be honoured if the political forces claiming ownership of the movement truly understand and uphold the ideals for which the martyrs gave away their lives. Referring to Mirza Fakhrul, he said the veteran leader's sacrifices and perseverance over the past 17 years reflected the guidance of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. The minister said the government now bears the responsibility of governing the country, activating Parliament, strengthening the judiciary, safeguarding Bangladesh's sovereignty, enhancing the country's standing in the international arena and creating employment opportunities for the country's growing number of educated unemployed people. He also said they now want to ensure good governance. "If we can do that, only then the sacrifices of the martyrs truly be honoured," he said. Swapon said the government will continue efforts to keep all democratic forces united until the very end. However, he warned that if any political forces cross limits through misinformation, indecency or by knowingly or unknowingly serving the interests of conspirators under the guise of ideology, the government will have to fulfil its responsibility in the interest of establishing good governance.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon on Sunday alleged widespread corruption in Bangladesh's acquisition of the broadcasting rights for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, claiming BTV had spent Tk 98 crore on the rights under the previous government through intermediary deals, with transactions totalling around Tk 140 crore. Speaking at a press conference at the Press Information Department conference room, he said the current government has instead purchased the media rights directly from FIFA, recovering almost the entire cost through sub-licensing arrangements. "The government's actual shortfall now stands at only Tk 4-5 crore, and we are trying to bridge even that through ongoing revenue-sharing discussions," the minister said. He said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had instructed the authorities to ensure that football fans across the country could watch the World Cup without placing an excessive financial burden on the state. Following that directive, Swapon said, the government negotiated directly with FIFA and acquired the media rights for US$3.85 million. He said most of the expenditure has already been recovered by sub-licensing the broadcasting rights to four local companies. “The government's actual financial shortfall has been reduced to only Tk 4-5 crore. Discussions are still underway with the sub-licence holders over revenue-sharing arrangements,” he said, expressing hope that if those negotiations are successful, even this remaining shortfall will be eliminated. Referring to the 2022 World Cup, the minister alleged that a Singapore-based company had initially purchased the FIFA broadcasting rights before a Bangladeshi company, Toma Construction, acquired and sold the rights to BTV for Tk 98 crore. He claimed the satellite broadcasting rights were also sold for Tk 22 crore and the digital rights for Tk 17 crore to private entities, bringing the total transactions to around Tk 140 crore. "FIFA received only $3.2 million. The remaining money went to intermediaries," Swapon alleged. He said a comparison between the 2022 and 2026 World Cup broadcasting arrangements clearly demonstrates how public money had been wasted previously. According to the minister, the current government eliminated intermediaries by purchasing the rights directly from FIFA, enabling the country to broadcast the tournament at a significantly lower cost. He also said the government plans to further improve the technological and commercial aspects of future World Cup broadcasts. Swapon lauded the role of Bangladesh Television (BTV), the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) and sports journalists. BTV Director General Md Mahbubul Alam said it was the first time in the broadcaster's history that the FIFA World Cup was broadcast at such a low cost. He said some revenue-sharing issues with sub-licence holders are still being finalised and expressed hope that the remaining shortfall will also be eliminated once the process is complete. The DG said BTV used its own airtime to broadcast the tournament and that, if the commercial value of that airtime is taken into account, the overall project will become profitable. Asked whether the government will investigate alleged irregularities in the 2022 World Cup broadcasting deal, Swapon said the legal process is underway and the government will fully cooperate. The BTV director general said an internal preliminary inquiry has already begun, adding that he is also aware of a preliminary investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). Later, the minister said a departmental inquiry is currently underway and that the ministry or BTV will communicate with the ACC, if necessary, after the inquiry is completed. Responding to another question, he said the government will discuss with the Bangladesh Football Federation the possibility of bringing the Brazil and Argentina national football teams to Bangladesh for a friendly match. He also said the government is working to professionalise sports by identifying talented athletes from an early age, providing state support, and introducing a sports card and greater recognition for outstanding performers. Swapon added that BTV will continue to play an important role in promoting positive social and cultural values alongside its public service broadcasting mission.