TARIQ ALAM

Bangladesh has set itself an ambitious objective: building a creative economy that can generate jobs, exports and investment through media, entertainment and digital content. Policymakers increasingly recognise that film, television, streaming platforms and digital creators can become important drivers of economic growth, employment and the global reach of Bangladeshi content. For this ambition to succeed, Bangladesh must address a growing challenge that threatens the sustainability of the media and entertainment ecosystem. A creative economy can only thrive when creative assets have value. When intellectual property is routinely copied, redistributed and consumed without authorisation, the incentives that drive investment, innovation and content creation begin to erode. Piracy is therefore no longer merely a copyright issue; it is a direct challenge to Bangladesh’s creative economy ambitions.

In Bangladesh, illegal access to broadcast and entertainment content is no longer confined to obscure websites. Content is increasingly accessed through illicit streaming services, social media streams and unlicensed platforms carrying broadcast signals over IP-based networks outside established licensing frameworks. An unregulated digital distribution layer is operating alongside, and increasingly replacing, the formal system.

As internet penetration rises and streaming becomes mainstream, piracy is expanding rapidly. Bangladesh, with its growing appetite for sports, entertainment and digital content, is entering a critical phase where piracy risks becoming deeply entrenched. While the immediate impact falls on broadcasters, rights holders and distributors, the broader implications extend across the creative economy.

Every successful creative economy is built on intellectual property. The underlying asset is content that can be licensed, monetised and exported through broadcasters, pay-TV operators, streaming platforms and licensed distribution networks. Piracy directly undermines this model. When it becomes widespread, legitimate revenues decline, weakening incentives to invest in new content and reducing the economic contribution of the formal media ecosystem. Investors become more cautious, content budgets shrink, and creators struggle to capture the value of their work, leading to less content, innovation and opportunity. It can also limit job creation across the media and entertainment value chain.

Bangladesh already has a legal framework. The Copyright Act 2023 prohibits unauthorised distribution and retransmission of broadcast content, including digital distribution over IP networks, and provides both civil and criminal remedies. Yet piracy continues to thrive because the challenge is not legal absence but enforcement. As broadcast and internet-based distribution converge, responsibilities are spread across multiple authorities, including the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission and agencies responsible for digital governance and cybersecurity. Addressing piracy therefore requires coordinated enforcement rather than isolated action.

Piracy is also evolving. It increasingly occurs through digital and IP-based platforms operating outside established licensing and regulatory frameworks. These networks often rely on foreign-hosted infrastructure and opaque payment channels while exposing consumers to cybersecurity risks and weak protections. Piracy is also a broader question of digital governance and ecosystem integrity.

Digitalisation is often presented as a solution, but not all digital systems are equal. Effective digitalisation requires technologies that enable traceability, content protection, compliance and accurate subscriber reporting. Without these safeguards, digital platforms can simply make unauthorised redistribution more efficient. The challenge is not legislation but execution. More effective enforcement of existing laws, stronger coordination among regulators and a structured approach to digitalisation that prioritises transparency, traceability and accountability are essential.

As Bangladesh seeks to strengthen its position in media and entertainment, the protection and commercialisation of creative assets will become increasingly important. The country’s creative economy will depend not only on producing more content but also on creating the conditions that allow that content to generate lasting economic value. Strengthening enforcement, improving coordination and building a digital ecosystem that supports innovation, investment and accountability can help create a more vibrant media and entertainment sector and support the continued growth of Bangladesh’s creative economy.

The writer is a strategic consultant across technology, media and infrastructure industries