"Make sure it’s taken down: HC to BTRC", 18 Feb 2021

Exercising an extraordinary jurisdiction, the High Court yesterday directed the telecom regulator to immediately remove Al Jazeera report "All the Prime Minister's Men" from online platforms in order to prevent "further worsening of the situation".

The court also ordered the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to contact Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter, if necessary, to remove the report.

... However, the court observed, "We find that the petitioner is not any 'person aggrieved' and has no locus standi [right to bring an action or to appear in a court], since there has been no prescribed law that can guide respondent no-5 [BTRC] to ask any international social media to take down the content that could malign the prestige and dignity of an elected democratic government.

"In such a view of the matter, this court, exercising extraordinary jurisdiction, thus directs respondent no-5 to prevent further worsening of the situation by streaming through those social media -- Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter -- of that documentary both nationally and internationally."

The writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Anamul Kabir Emon sought a ban on the broadcast of Al Jazeera in Bangladesh and the removal of "Al the Prime Minister's Men" from the internet.

... BTRC Chairman Shyam Sunder Sikder yesterday said they had earlier requested YouTube and Facebook to remove the Al Jazeera report.

In response, YouTube authorities said that they could not remove the content because it did not violate their Community Guidelines, the BTRC chairman said.

Facebook authorities also said the same, he added. "Now, it will be easier for us to approach YouTube and Facebook again after the High Court directive."