HC questions inaction in removing ‘obscene contents’ from OTT web platforms

The High Court yesterday (Tuesday) questioned the inaction and apathy of the authorities concerned in removing "obscene and immoral" video contents from the OTT (over-the-top) web-based platforms across the country.

In response to a writ petition, the court issued a rule asking respondents to explain in four weeks why their inaction to this effect should not be declared illegal.

In the rule, the HC also asked them to show cause why they should not be directed to formulate a guideline in order to monitor the operations of OTT web-based platforms.

Secretaries to the ministries of posts and telecommunications, home and information, inspector general of police, chairman and director concerned of Bangladesh Telecommunication and Regulatory Commission (BTRC), director general of Bangladesh Shilpakola Academy and deputy inspector general of Cyber Police Bureau have been made respondents to the rule.

The HC bench of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Md Khairul Alam came up with the rule after hearing a writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Tanvir Ahmed seeking necessary directives in this connection.

Petitioner Tanvir Ahmed told The Daily Star that a virtual HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim on July 15 this year directed the authorities concerned of the government to remove the obscene contents and films from the OTT (over-the-top) platforms across the country in seven days.

On that day, the virtual HC bench had also asked the BTRC to submit a report before it within a month on how the government collects revenue from the OTT platforms.

The HC directives were not implemented as those were not communicated to the respondents properly, he said.

The HC yesterday kept the HC's July 15 directives intact, lawyer Tanvir said.

He submitted the writ petition as a public interest litigation to the HC in July saying that several OTT platforms contain questionable and obscene contents and films from Bangladesh and India. Those contents through internet cause moral degradation of people, particularly the juvenile and young generation.

The lawyer in the petition prayed to the HC to deliver order on the authorities concerned of the government to remove the obscene contents and films from the OTT platforms.