Dhaka: YouTube has restricted access to at least six Bangladeshi television channels in India following a takedown request from the Indian government “citing concerns related to national security and public order”, Bangladeshi media reported on Saturday.
The six Bangladeshi television news channels blocked in India are Jamuna TV, Ekattor TV, DBC News , Somoy TV, BanglaVision News & Mohona TV. While four channels became inaccessible on Friday, two more – DBC News and Somoy TV — were added to the block list on Saturday, reports cited.
Geo-blocking is a practice used to restrict online content based on the geographical location of the user. In this instance, Bangladeshi TV news channels remain available globally, except in India.
The Indian government has previously taken similar action against Pakistani YouTube channels for allegedly spreading provocative or misleading content.
Meanwhile, the Bangladeshi press continues to face systematic and organised repression under the Interim Government headed by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus. A total of 640 journalists have been targetted in the first eight months of the interim government’s rule from August 2024 to March 2025. These attacks include criminal cases filed against 182 journalists, acts of violence against 206 journalists, denial of accreditation to 167 journalists, and inquiries initiated against 85 senior journalists by the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit, anti-terror and anti-money laundering units of the country’s government.
Analysts reckon that the entire media in Bangladesh has been silenced by Yunus as journalists have been sacked from jobs instantly on the whims and fancies of the leaders of the Anti-Discrimination Students Movement, who have emerged as the real decision makers.
The Anti-Discrimination Students Movement activists led by Hasnat Abdullah not only attacked independent dailies but trespassed into tv channels forcing the owners to sack journalists from jobs without any ground because of the threat from the student protestors.
“Such throttling of press freedom was unseen under any previous regime in Bangladesh and currently, an atmosphere of fear grips the journalists in Bangladesh. No critical reporting on the Interim Government can be done. Next to the Awami League activists, journalists face the most serious risks under Dr Yunus’s Bangladesh,” Suhas Chakma, Director of the Rights and Risks Analysis Group (RRAG) stated.
He alleged that Yunus is targetting the “truth-tellers” of Bangladesh with journalists and news channels in Bangladesh in deep crisis while managing severe stress from the interim administration.
(IANS)
