The government won’t compromise over its policy of allowing only add-free TV channels to broadcast in the country, Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud said on Thursday. The law in this regard has not been implemented in 15 years, he mentioned. Read: 'Clean feed' may lead to foreign channels' ad slots catering to local market “But this time we have done enough groundwork and will remain firm on our decision to implement clean-feed broadcasting of overseas channels,” the minister said following a meeting with the leaders of Editors’ Forum. In the meeting, the minister listened to all complaints and demands of the editors and pledged to do his best to solve those. Read: Showing foreign channels through DTH illegal: Hasan Mahmud "I am trying to do things on the basis of justice and fairness," he said. Soon discipline will be ensured in the entire media industry, the minister said.

Welcoming the move to force ad-free or 'clean feed' broadcasting of foreign channels, Association of Television Channel Owners (ATCO) on Saturday urged all relevant stakeholders to cooperate with the government in implementing the decision. "The clean feed legislation is 15 years old. It should have been implemented long ago,” ATCO Senior Vice President Mozammel Haque Babu noted in a virtual press conference Saturday evening. "The balance between clean feed and digitalisation will benefit all stakeholders," said Babu, managing director of Ekattor TV. Regarding the blackout of foreign TV channels in the last few days, he said that the decision was taken by cable operators, not the government. Also read: 'Clean feed' may lead to foreign channels' ad slots catering to local market Cable Operators Association Of Bangladesh (COAB) have shown interest in holding dialogue with the government over the matter, Babu further informed.

Cable Operators Association of Bangladesh (COAB) members stopped broadcasting foreign satellite channels without 'clean feeds', i.e. their advertisement slots filled by show sponsors and other commercial entities cater to a foreign market, early Friday morning in line with a government directive. The sudden blackout, that affects practically every foreign channel available in Bangladesh, can be traced to a September 2nd meeting attended by the Association of Television Channel Owners (ATCO), TV channel distributors and cable operators’ representatives that took place at the Information Ministry, informed its minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Friday evening. The meeting was informed that foreign channels will not be allowed to air in the country without a clean feed policy after September 30. "The channels are not transmitting clean feeds even though we have urged them repeatedly to do so," he added. Read: Policy to regulate OTT platforms in the works: Hasan Mahmud Contacted, SM Anwar Parvez, the founding president of COAB, said they have stopped transmitting foreign channels since Friday early morning following government directives.

Bangladesh Satellite Company Limited (BSCL) is ready to help improve the existing TV viewership measurement system in the country, making ratings more accurate, Information Minister Hasan Mahmud said on Monday.