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English Ads on Billboards

Advertisers in big trouble

DCCs serve short notice for removal

Helemul Alam and Md Fazlur Rahman
After Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) too has moved to have all hoardings with advertisements in English or mixed language removed much ahead of a High Court deadline, upsetting advertisers.
On Friday, the DNCC issued a public notice in national dailies, asking advertisers to remove such signboards, billboards or banners within three days, though they have till July 1 to comply with the court order.
Last Tuesday, the DSCC published a similar notice in newspapers.
The HC on May 28 ordered the information secretary to take measures to stop publishing advertisements in electronic and print media in English language in a month unless there are any unavoidable circumstances.
The I IC directed both the home and the information secretaries to submit a report before it by July 1 after complying with its orders.
However, the court did not specifically say in what circumstances English language ads can be allowed.
Contacted, a legal expert, requesting anonymity, said
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that this directive may mean foreign missions, international organisations, English dailies and any institution that cannot help using any other language for their regular proceedings will be exempted from this restrictions.
In line with the HC order, the DNCC last week asked its section/zone in-charges to ensure the use of Bangla language in all outdoor advertisements, number plates of vehicles and nameplates of all offices under the city corporation, said Mohammad Ali, acting secretary of the corporation.
They now want other organisations to follow their suit.
The DSCC notice also warned it would not serve any further notice if the outdoor ads are not taken off within the three-day deadline, and would do it on its own.
This deadline expires today, two weeks before the deadline stipulated by the HC.
Giving such a short time for such a mammoth task has angered advertisers and advertising agencies.
On condition of anonymity, an official of a multinational company which has hundreds of outdoor ads, said, "It will not be possible for us to
comply with the notices immediately. We will contact city corporation officials and try to convince them [for extending the deadline)."
Mohammad Rashed, general secretary of Outdoor Advertising Owners' Association, said, "There can be mandator}' use of Bengali. At the same time, there should be a provision for using English as well."
An official of a foreign bank was also critical of this move.
"We only came to know about the tight deadline after we saw the notice in the newspapers. We have already held a series of meetings on the issue," he said.
He, however, preferred anonymity as the issue involves the judiciary'.
Advertisers have not been given any letter even.
"We are aware of the issue, but we have not received any letter yet. As soon as we receive the letter, we will decide on our next course of action," said Shehzad S Hossain, senior manager of Banglalink.
Asked about this, the DNCC secretary' said, "It is a part of our administrative effort. Hundred percent implementation of the order will not be possible in the first step. More time will be needed to fully implement the order."