HC issues rule over removing obscene content from web series

The High Court has issued a rule upon the respondents to explain why the inaction and apathy of the concerned authorities about streaming of immoral video content on various over-the-top (OTT) web-based platforms evidently contributing to societal moral degradation shall not be declared illegal.

In the rule issued on Tuesday, the court also wanted to know as to why the respondents should not be enacted a regulation to monitor or operate the OTT platforms.

The High Court (HC) bench of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Md Khairul Alam passed the order after hearing a writ petition filed in this regard.

Posts, telecommunication and information technology secretary, information secretary, cultural affairs secretary, chairman of Bangladesh telecommunication regulatory communication (BTRC), inspector general of police (IGP) and other respondents have been asked to comply with the rules within four weeks.

The High Court bench also merged another order passed earlier by a virtual HC bench directing the respondents to take immediate initiative within one week from the date of receipt of the order to remove widespread streaming of immoral and reprehensible video content available on various OTT platforms.

But in the new order the court has granted four weeks time for the respondents to comply with the merged order.

The virtual court also directed the respondents to submit a report regarding the type of agreement made with Netflix, an OTT platform, and how they collect the government revenue from various OTT platforms at this time.

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