BTRC gets 2 more weeks to shutdown unregistered online news portals

The Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (BTRC) got two more weeks to comply with the High Court (HC) order to shut down unregistered online portals across the country.

The virtual bench of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Md Kamrul Hossain Mollah, on Tuesday, passed the order after hearing a time petition filed by the BTRC.

On 14 September, the HC directed the BTRC chairman and Bangladesh Press council to shut down all the unregistered online news portals of the country.

The court has also directed them to submit a report after implementing the order within seven days of receiving the written copy of the order.

Barrister Zareen Rahman and advocate Rashida Chowdhury Neelu stood for the writ petitioner while Advocate Farzana Sharmin represented the BTRC.

The BTRC told the court that it has sought a list of all registered and unregistered online news portals from the information ministry.  But the ministry has not given them the list yet.  As soon as the list is received, steps will be taken to ban the unregistered online news portals.

On this ground, the BTRC lawyers sought two more weeks, and the court granted it.  The HC set 25 October for issuing its next order in this regard.

Earlier on 16 August, the same bench of HC issued a rule asking the authorities concerned in the government to explain why they ought not to be ordered to shut down the operation of all unregistered online news portals.

The rule also sought an explanation as to why they should not be directed to formulate an ethical code of conduct for newspapers and form a broadcasting commission for the electronic media.

The secretary of the information ministry, BTRC chairman and Bangladesh Press Council chairman were asked to respond to the rule within seven days.