Staff Reporter :
The Cable Operators Association of Bangladesh (COAB) has opted to defer its decision to halt TV broadcasting for four hours nationwide, rescinding the directive previously issued by the Minister of State for Information, Mohammad Ali Arafat.
The announcement of this reversal came through a circular signed by COAB President ABM Saiful Hossain and General Secretary Syed Mosharraf Ali Chanchal on Monday.
Initially, reports surfaced regarding a symbolic nationwide strike to suspend cable TV services from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on March 11, in protest against the perceived inaction of authorities in addressing longstanding issues within the industry.
However, COAB has decided to suspend this program following assurances from Minister Mohammad Ali Arafat that the concerns would be addressed.
The decision to postpone the TV broadcasting stoppage follows warnings issued by COAB after its Annual General Meeting (AGM) held at the Dhaka Ladies Club on March 3.
The organization had threatened a blackout if their demands were not met by Monday.
Saiful Hossain, the COAB president, lamented the financial burden faced by operators, citing challenges in managing payment channel bills and other expenses.
He criticized the lack of activity from BTV and expressed dissatisfaction with the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission’s (BTRC) response to industry issues.
