Deputy Commissioners have been asked to strengthen monitoring to prevent the airing of news through IPTVs and YouTube channels as per the National Broadcast Policy, said the Information Minister. “But news is still being broadcast through IPTVs (Internet Protocol Televisions). Regular news bulletins are being presented and broadcast through YouTube channels. But this can’t be allowed as per our Broadcast Policy,” Hasan Mahmud said on Thursday. The minister came up with the remarks while talking to reporters after a session on the third day of the DCs' Conference at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium. Read: Ensure quick services to expats, FM Momen asks DCs The minister urged the DCs to remain alert and take effective action in this regard as per the Broadcast Policy. He also thanked the DCs on behalf of the ministry for conducting mobile court drives to ensure airing of Clean Feed foreign TV channels since October last year. “I asked them to keep eyes on it so that those who run the cable network shouldn’t broadcast any programmes or advertisements as a local channel,” the minister said. About spreading propaganda through social media, Hasan Mahmud said social media is a large ground of spreading propaganda. Read: Military-Civil Administration should work together in nation building: Army Chief “If we look at the statistics of the last seven to eight years, we can see that almost all rumors, motivated propaganda were spread through social media,” said the minister. The spread of misleading news through social media creates instability in the country, he added. The DCs were asked to remain alert about these issues and take immediate action, Mahmud added.  

Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Wednesday warned that stringent measures will be taken against unregistered online news portals soon. “Online portals are being launched every now and then by anyone and everyone which has become a matter of great headache for all concerned,” he said. “We have recognised the authentic ones and some have been shut down,” he said adding that registration process is still going on. “After registering a few more, we will start taking actions against the unregistered ones,” the minister said. Also read: Govt. to permit some IPTVs this month, says Hasan Mahmud He said that the same procedure will be followed for IPTVs. He added that no IPTVs around the world are allowed to publish news. “Even the personnel of registered IPTVs won’t be able to carry press cards like reporters,” he said. The minister came up with this information while speaking at an event of Bangladesh Crime Reporters Association on Wednesday. Also read: Hasan Mahmud warns of clampdown on IP TVs A portal of the organisation, crabnewsbd.com was launched at the event, Earlier on Aug 2, Hasan said approvals will be given to some Internet Protocol Televisions (IPTV) within a month. “We did not give any permission to any IPTV yet. We have asked the authorities concerned to apply for registration and some 600 applications have been submitted. We will give approval of some IPTV within this month after scrutiny,” he said.