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A parliamentary panel has recommended introduction of 'direct to home' television service which may break the monopoly of the cable TV operators in Bangladesh.
The information ministry-related standing committee on Tuesday observed that the DTH service will give the viewers better picture quality and more options on satellite channels.
The watchdog based the recommendations on the observation of a five-member parliamentary sub-committee headed by Awami League MP Ali Reza.
If introduced, the wireless DTH service provider will offer viewers different rates for different packages of channels. The providers will set a small dish antenna for every user.
"The committee has accepted the recommendation of the sub-committee and suggested implementation of the DHT services in phases," Obaidul Kader, the standing committee chairman, told bdnews24.com on Tuesday after the meeting at parliament building.
"There are some irregularities and corruption in the current analogue cable operations system," Kader said.
"The digital system will give the government better control over cable TV operation and collection of revenues from the sector".
He, however, said, "Like the movie piracy gang, there is a syndicate in the current cable TV operation. There is a danger in ruffling their (cable TV operators) feathers".
The chairman said the DTH facility would reduce the cost of watching cable TV channels, as well.
Md Touhid Hossain, managing director of cable TV operator 'Nation Electronics and Cable Operator', told bdnews24.com agrees that the DTH facilities would give viewers more channel options.
"The viewers are now forced to watch those channels that are served by cable operators," said Hossain, who has at least 600 users in Dhaka Cantonment area.
Allegations have it that the forum of the cable TV operators, the Cable TV Operators Association of Bangladesh (COAB), very often drops channels. Recently, the operators deprived viewers of watching ETV in many areas in capital Dhaka.
The organisation also changes the numerical order of the channels. In many areas, Channel I is number 49, but little-known 'My TV' sometimes is in the first 10.
Hossain said the cable operators can offer cheaper prices than the DTH service will.
He said some big companies such as India's Tata Group and Bashundhara Group had already sought government permission to launch DTH facilities in Bangladesh.
"The DTH needs huge investment".
The sub-committee in its recommendations, however, said, "The DTH and the cable TV operators are not competitors. A cable TV operator can be a DTH operator".
Cable TV business in Bangladesh is worth over $ 50 millions, with at least 10 lakh cable TV connections, each of which pay Tk 300 per month, according to the operators.
Source: bdnews24.com
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