BNP boycotts talk show of two private TV channels alleging ‘bias’
Opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has decided to boycott the talk show of two private televisions channels – Somoy Television and Ekattor TV.
The party has already instructed its leaders to refrain from participating in the talk show of these two television channels.
Regarding this, BNP publicity secretary Shahid Uddin Chowdhury told Prothom Alo these two television channels are showing bias, which is why BNP leaders who participate in talk show have been instructed to boycott these TV channels. However, there is no bar on these two TV channels to cover the programmes of BNP despite the boycott, he added.
Reliable sources of BNP said the party took this decision in the first week of July after talking to the party leaders and activists who participate in talk show at various television channels. Later, BNP sent the message in a form of letter to the respective persons on their mobile phone.
The letter stated, “Let us all the discussants stop participating in talk show at Ekattor TV and Somoy Television from 9 July 2023. This boycott will continue until further notice.”
Explaning the reason of the boycott, the letter said owners of several television channels have continued to blatantly report against BNP, in particular, against the party's acting chairman Tarique Rahman with an ulterior motive with a view to satisfy the government. Sometimes, entire stage, including the presenter, of talk show are arranged to humiliate BNP and its leadership. Amid this circumstance, a decision has been taken to boycott the talk show of Ekattor TV and Somoy Television temporarily at the advice of the party’s senior leaders and with the approval of its high-ups.
Earlier, Awami League boycotted several media including NTV, RTV, Islamic TV and Dainik Amar Desh during the tenure of the government formed by BNP and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami led four-party alliance.