BNP boycotts Somoy, Ekattor TV talk shows over ‘biasness’

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has decided not to attend any talk shows arranged by private television channels Somoy TV and 71 TV citing 'biasness'.

The BNP central command had sent letters to its leaders instructing them in this regard last month.

"These television channels are acting in a biassed manner. BNP leaders who attend talk shows have been asked to boycott these two televisions through letters," BNP  publicity secretary Shahid Uddin Chowdhury told the media today.

"However, there is no restriction on the two televisions to cover the BNP program even if the talk show is banned," he added.

According to BNP sources, the decision to boycott talk shows at the channels was taken in the first week of last July.

Later, a letter was sent to leaders concerned  regarding the matter, asking them to "stop participating in the talk shows of '71 TV and Somoy TV from 9 July 2023."

"This ban will continue until further notice," it added.

Explaining the reason behind the decision, the letter said, "The owners of some TV channels are carrying out hostile reports against the BNP, especially the Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, to please the ruling party.

"Sometimes the entire talk show is staged, including the host or presenter, to denigrate BNP and its leadership."

Previously, the Awami League had boycotted some media including NTV, RTV, Islamic TV, Amar Desh Patrika during the regime of the four-party coalition government including BNP-Jamaat.