A “status quo” order provided by a Dhaka court has thrown the FIFA World Cup, Brazil, 2014’s live transmission in the country in jeopardy.
A Dhaka district court has given the “status quo” on Tuesday as a local consortium – Total Sports Marketing (TSM) and Sony Television, the right holders of this region, were locked in a legal tangle over the transmission issue.
Barrister Aneek R Haque, lawyer of the consortium, has told the Dhaka Tribune.
A local consortium – Total Sports Marketing (TSM) – signed a primary deal with the Sony TV’s appointed agency – Seven3Sports – on March 25 with $1.41m and they have given 50% of the money immediately.
A satellite channel Gazi TV is also the partner of Total Sports Marketing consortium.
Seven3Sports has also given green signal for start the marketing and other promotional activities in first half of April.
According to an e-mail correspondence, Abhishek Saklani, a senior executive of Seven3Sports, told the TSM: “Please go ahead and float your sales or Marketing packages in Bangladesh Market.”
But soon after some other Bangladeshi interested satellite channels contacted with Seven3Sports.
They wanted more money over the contract, sources informed.
In the meantime, Seven3Sports also sent a mail to Gazi TV and TSM which said the termination of the deal was based on a false claim of “mutual consent”.
Later, Gazi TV and TSM went to the court on Thursday.
The Dhaka district court asked to the respondent “Why the defendants shall not be restrained from the termination of the agreement and from entering into any agreement with any 3rd party relating to the broadcast of 2014 FIFA World Cup in Bangladesh Territory.”
The respondent have 25 days time to respond this notice, order also passed.
Barrister Aneek R Haque said this order restricted the whole process.
TSM declined to make any formal comment as it is a sub-judice matter.
But sources of the consortium also informed that they will involve Bangladesh Football Federation with the process and if needed will go to FIFA also.
Another source informed that every state owned television channel reserve priority to telecast FIFA world cup with a concessional rate and Bangladesh Television (BTV) will have it though private satellite channels are busy with legal battle.
FIFA world cup is the greatest show of the earth and billions of people enjoy the matches through television.
Source: Dhaka Tribune
