BDG TO ALLOW RESUMPTION OF ETV TELEVISION CHANNEL

UNCLAS DHAKA 001767 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PTER KISL BG SUBJECT: BDG TO ALLOW RESUMPTION OF ETV TELEVISION CHANNEL ¶1. (SBU) Summary: On April 12, the BDG cleared the Ekushey Television (ETV) application for a fresh license to resume operation after the Supreme Court ordered its closure two years ago. The BDG also gave clearances for two more TV channels owned, respectively, by two ruling party legislators. ETV, which once had U.S. equity, is likely to go on the air after the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) issues the license and the BDG returns the equipment it seized after the closure. End Summary ¶2. (SBU) On April 12, the BDG issued a "No Objection Certificate" to the issuance of a new license to ETV, the first private TV channel in Bangladesh. It began terrestrial and satellite broadcasts on March 8, 2000, but was shut down after a Supreme Court order on August 29, 2002, citing irregularities in its licensing process. ETV had ended the BDG monopoly in the electronic media and earned popularity among viewers. ETV officials viewed the channel's shutdown as motivated by politics, because ETV was viewed as pro-Awami League and modern, and commercial rivalry, since a new station owned by a PMO insider was getting started. ¶3. (U) In December 2002, ETV leadership changed following a transfer of shares. A U.S. investment company, Waterford, reportedly retains 15 percent of the shares. ¶4. (SBU) On April 12, ETV chairman Abdus Salam told us that he persuaded BDG to give him a license by promising to PM Zia's influential son Tarique not to make partisan use of the TV channel. ¶5. (SBU) Information Secretary Dr. Mahbubur Rahman Morshed told us he acted on instructions from "multiple authorities," apparently meaning the PMO and Tarique's office known as "Hawa Bhaban." Morshed said the ministry has also cleared for licensing two more TV channels -- Boishakhi, owned by Housing and Public Works Minister Mirza Abbas, and National Television, owned by BNP MP Mosaddeq Ali, also known as Falu. A former Political Secretary to the PM, Falu already operates the NTV channel. Morshed said about 50 more applications for licenses, mostly from ruling BNP leaders, are still pending with his ministry. THOMAS