As per the reports, the petition filed by Rahman asked the court to issue directives so that the channel operated ‘rationally’ and ‘neutrally’. In the petition, she stated that the channel was being used as a mouthpiece of the previous government.
“The HC also issued a rule questing the legality of its broadcasting programs on behalf of the previous govt,” Petitioner’s lawyer Ahsanul Karim was quoted as saying by the media. He further claimed that the petition was filed to protect the channel’s ‘editorial independence’.
The suspension is the result of recent management changes at the channel, wherein City Group’s Shampa Rahman succeeded Ahmed Jobaer as managing director and CEO of Somoy TV. Jobaer, who has the license to run the said media house was illegally removed by the management as per the staff reporters.
A division of the City Group, Somoy Media Limited, is the channel’s owner. Ahmed Jobaer talked to the media in response to the ban and said, “We are not aware of this writ. We were not notified when the writ was filed. We intend to approach the Appellate Division to get a stay of the High Court’s ruling.”
Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon, an advocate representing Jobaer meanwhile argued that the broadcast of the channel shall not be halted until the matter was resolved in the appeal. “City Group used to provide funds to Awami League. They are concerned about their factories being targeted, which is why they want to shut down Somoy TV. This is not a valid reason. If there are issues, they should be addressed, but shutting down a television channel is not the solution,” he added.
A case regarding the ownership and management of Somoy TV is still ongoing in the High Court’s Company Bench, according to Barrister Mahbub. A hearing on the matter is set for August 22. He mentioned that a fresh petition had been submitted in a different court after the earlier attempt to shut down the channel was rejected.
“A writ petition was filed in another court to stop the broadcast of Somoy TV without disclosing the pending case. The judge was unaware of this when it was brought to their attention. We are considering appealing to the chamber court against the High Court’s order,” he added.
It is crucial to note that Somoy TV has been extensively reporting about atrocities that have been taking place against Hindus in Bangladesh after the fall of the Awami League government. The channel has more than 2 crore subscribers and is being alleged by the petitioner, Rahman to act as the ‘mouthpiece’ of the Awami government.
Meanwhile, Gono Odhikar Parishad who had previously called for the ban on Awami League has stated that private satellite television channel Somoy’s broadcast must not be stopped. “We are not in favour of stopping its broadcast,” General Secretary Rashed Khan said at Dhaka Reporters Unity on Tuesday, August 20th. Also, the Dhaka Sub-Editors Council (DSEC) has condemned the suspension of Somoy television’s broadcast.
DSEC president Muktadir Anik and general secretary Jawahar Iqbal Khan on 20th August condemned the attack on several media houses including Somoy TV after the fall of the Awami League govt in Bangladesh. Demanding the arrest of the attackers, Khan said, “Such attacks are a threat to media and press freedom.”
This is after several journalists working at Somoy TV and others supporting them launched a massive chain protest against the shutdown and the suspension of the channel. “Shutting down this channel will jeopardize the livelihoods of 1,000 journalists and their families. I’d request the interim government resume Somoy TV’s broadcast as soon as possible,” senior journalist Mostofa Hossain said.
It is alleged by Somoy TV, however, that in the current case, Rahman concealed the information about the other case pending regarding Somoy TV with a separate bench.
City Group declared on August 10th that Ahmed Jobaer, the CEO and Managing Director of Somoy would no longer be the authority at the company. Notably, this decision by the City Group was taken in a Somoy Media Limited board meeting in his absence. The license for the channel is owned by Jobaer, as per the Somoy TV report. Jobaer has filed a motion in court to contest his dismissal. The following hearing is set for August 22.
The shutdown is proposed notably over the allegations of insecurity and pay disparity. However, the reporters at Somoy TV stated that they had no issues with the company’s management. In fact, they stated that reporters at Somoy TV enjoy facilities and pay packages more than any other reporter working at any other media house in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Staff there also believe that an illegal attempt is being made to remove Jobaer from his position. As per one of Somoy TV’s reports, In May 2009, Ahmed Jobaer applied at the District Commissioner’s office to start Somoy Media Limited. He obtained the permits for ten television networks, including Somoy Television, later that year in September.
The company was founded under the name Somoy Media Limited as a result of the license being granted under Jobaer’s name. Later on, the well-known corporate giant City Group became an investor in the project. City Group acquired shares in the company’s “B Group,” while Ahmed Jobaer and the other founders retained shares in the “A Group.”
The signatories of the “A Group” and the “B Group” are supposed to jointly handle the company’s financial accounts.
