'Formulate policy for private TV channels'

17 May 2010, 18:00 PM

Staff Correspondent

Television programme producers yesterday demanded a policy for private satellite channels having provisions of payment for programmes. They placed the demand at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity in the city. The producers said they have dues of around Tk 5 crore to the recently closed Channel 1 and around Tk 25 crore to other private channels and demanded immediate payments of the bills. They also threatened to launch a tough movement if the demands are not met. Tarik Anam Khan, general secretary of the Television Programme Producers Association of Bangladesh (TPPAB), said the producers suffer the most due to absence of the policy. “We face difficulties to realise our dues from the channels. They delay up to 120 days to pay the bills that they are bound to pay within 60 days after the supply of a programme according to deals between the two parties,” he said. Mamunur Rashid, president of the TPPAB, said this is a matter of the security of the artists in the industry. The government should formulate the policy to ensure their security, he added. They also demanded that the government take steps to ensure the airing of Bangladeshi channels in neighbouring India. The government should make the channels available in India, as Bangladeshi television programmes are popular to the people in that country.