BTRC has all the power to remove objectionable videos: High Court

The High Court has expressed concern over the role of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) in not removing the video of the private moments of actress Parimani and police officer Saqlain from social media, saying the BTRC has all the power to remove objectionable videos. The court said the BTRC authorities have all the power to remove these objectionable videos. But they are not doing so and enjoying these videos. On Sunday, at the hearing of the writ petition to remove the video of Parimani-Saqlain, Justice Md. Mojibur Rahman Mia and Justice. Kamrul Hossain Mollah made the remarks at the High Court bench. The court then dismissed the writ petition on the ground that the writ petition had not been raised as it had not given legal notice to the BTRC to remove the video. Lawyer Tasmia Nuhia Ahmed appeared for the writ petition. Deputy Attorney General Nowroz Russell Chowdhury said on behalf of the state. The court said to the state lawyers, what does BTRC do? Do they need to stop these videos with directions of court every time? Does BTRC save these videos? Do they like to watch these (videos)? Don’t we have children? Don't we have a family? If anything happens, it goes viral on social media. BTRC can remove objectionable videos before those go viral. BTRC can stop immediately. Addressing the petitioner's lawyer, the High Court said, "You all come to shoot keeping guns on our necks." You said to give direction to BTRC. Why should we? We have made it clear in Al Jazeera's verdict that the BTRC has all the power to stop this. Then you bring it to us. If we now ask the BTRC chairman to appear in court, let him come and tell us the reason why he is doing so. What are you sitting there for? They have the power to stop this. In the case of Al Jazeera, we had 6 amicus curiae. The BTRC already has the power. Even then we have made specific guidelines. Then will we instruct them every day? Earlier, a writ petition was filed in the High Court on August 25 seeking directions to remove the video of the private moments of actress Parimani and police officer Saqlain, which went viral on social media. In addition, the dead college students Munia and Dr. JKJ Sabrina's personal life videos have been asked to be removed.