Bangladesh seeks foreign TV tax
February 6, 2014
By Chris Forrester
Bangladesh’s finance minister is proposing that the country levies a transmission fee for foreign channels. A meeting on February 4th between the Ministry and the local Association of Television Channel Owners (ATCO) heard the minister agree with the ATCO, which is designed to protect local channels from the “aggression” of Indian TV channels, especially those coming from West Bengal.
APCO says the number of local private TV channels was currently 24 with another 13 new channels have acquired licenses. “But at least five dozens of foreign channels dominated by India-based satellite channels are screened here.”
Led by Mosaddak Ali Falu, from the association said local operators paid advance income tax, value added tax and corporate tax, but the foreign channels were not paying any tax to the government. Moreover, Bangladesh’s channels had to pay fees to be carried in India.