The Appellate Division has suspended the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission’s (BTRC) decision to halt the broadcast of private television station Channel One. As a result, there are no legal restrictions on Channel One’s transmission, according to lawyers.
On Monday (February 24), the Appellate Division, led by Justice Md. Ashfaqul Islam, issued the order.
Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kajol represented Channel One in court.
Earlier, on January 23, Channel One received permission to file an appeal after 16 years. The Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division granted the order.
On that day, senior lawyers Ruhul Quddus Kajol, Palash Chandra Roy, Kazi Akhtar Hossain, Mohammad Masum Billah, Barrister Maruf Ibrahim Akash, and Mohammad Masum Billah appeared for Channel One in court.
The private television station ‘Channel One’ was shut down 16 years ago. On April 27, 2010, shortly after 6 PM, the then-government revoked its frequency allocation. Allegations suggest that Sheikh Hasina, driven by political motives and vendetta, pressured BTRC to intervene in the popular media outlet’s broadcast.
Following the shutdown, Channel One authorities filed a case in the High Court. However, under direct and unjust instructions from the then-government, the petition was dismissed.
Channel One’s legal officer, Mizan-ul-Haq, stated that after the student-led July uprising, they approached the court again, and the Chamber Judge granted permission for an appeal.
Expressing satisfaction with the court’s ruling, Channel One’s Managing Director, businessman Gias Uddin Al Mamun, stated that the channel had been unjustly shut down. He added, "Today, the court has ensured justice."
