HC postpones Govt’s decision to set up TV set-top box

The High Court has postponed for one month the decision of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to set up TV set-top boxes to bring the TV cable network of Dhaka and Chattogram under the digital system.

At the same time, the court has issued another rule asking why the government's decision to install a set-top box for TV will not be overturned. Those concerned, including the information secretary, have been asked to respond to the rule within four weeks, Deputy Attorney General of the court Nowroz Mohammad Russell Chowdhury confirmed the matter to reporters on Monday.

Cable TV subscribers would have to install set-top boxes with TVs in Dhaka and Chattogram by 30 November and across the country by 31 December. The minister also said that if it was not installed within this period, it would be a problem to watch TV, said Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud on 31 October in the wake of a decision by representatives of the Association of Television Channel Owners (Atco), channel distributors and cable operators.

A customer filed a writ petition challenging the government's decision. The High Court bench of Justice Mohammad Mojibur Rahman and Justice Mohammad Kamrul Hossain Mollah passed the order on Monday after a preliminary hearing on the writ petition.