BTV, Maasranga, GTV all given rights
The uncertainty over live broadcasting of FIFA World Cup in Bangladesh has been removed, said the officials of the Bangladesh Football Federation, adding that the governing body of world’s football handed the rights jointly to Bangladesh Television, Gazi Television and Maasranga Television. The broadcasting was put into uncertainty after an Indian sports agency backed off from an agreement with Gazi TV, which had struck the initial deal last month. Gazi sought the intervention of FIFA after a court order on May 21 asked the concerned parties to maintain a status quo on the matter.
‘We received a reply from FIFA on Thursday stating that three television channels were given the rights to resolve the crisis,’ said BFF general secretary Abu Nayeem Sohag on Sunday.
Seven3Sports, an appointed agency of Sony Television, who got the broadcast rights in the South-West Asian territory, unilaterally terminated its contract with GTV on April 19.
Initially GTV had signed a $1.41 million primary deal with Seven3Sports on March 25 and the channel had paid half the amount after the deal.
After that Maasranga Television also expressed its interest to Seven3Sports, prompting the agency to discontinue the previous contract with GTV.
Barrister Anik A Haque, legal adviser to Gazi Television, admitted that the crisis over broadcasting rights was all but resolved.
‘The crisis has all but resolved and we are now waiting a for an e-mail from FIFA to take further steps,’ said Barrister Haque.
Chief coordinator of Maasranga Television Mostafa Zaman Raihani also admitted they are preparing to telecast the World Cup matches from the very beginning.
‘All I can say is that we are going to telecast World Cup matches,’ Raihani said on Sunday.
Gazi and Maasranga were also involved in the satellite war at the last ICC World Twenty20, held in Bangladesh.
During the tournament Maasranga had struck the initial agreement and GTV had joined them later as Maasranga was not awarded exclusive rights.
-With New Age input
