Appeal filed in chamber court to resume Somoy TV broadcast

An appeal has been filed in the Appellate Division's Chamber Court seeking a stay on the High Court's order to halt Somoy TV's broadcast for seven days.

The appeal was submitted by Ahmed Zobair, the managing director of Somoy TV.

Barrister Shakib Mahbub, Zobair's lawyer, confirmed the information on Wednesday, adding that the Chamber Judge's Court is scheduled to hear the appeal later in the day.

On August 19, the High Court issued an order to suspend Somoy TV's broadcast for seven days following a preliminary hearing on a writ petition filed by Shampa Rahman, a director of Somoy Media Limited.

The order was passed by a High Court bench comprising Justice Naima Haider and Justice Sashanka Shekhar Sarkar.

According to media reports, a Board of Directors meeting of Somoy Media Limited was held on August 10 at City House in Gulshan, where a new managing director was appointed.

Ahmed Zobair was reportedly removed from his position as managing director and chief executive of Somoy Television during the meeting, and director Shampa Rahman was appointed in his place.

The notice issued after the meeting mentioned that all activities of Somoy Media Limited would be conducted under the guidance of the new managing director.

Ahsanul Karim, the lawyer representing petitioner Shampa Rahman, claimed that Shampa owns 75% of the shares in Somoy Television. However, to appease the then Awami League government, additional shares were allegedly shown in the names of a former minister and his nephew.

Ahsanul also mentioned an incident during the anti-quota movement where a Somoy TV cameraman allegedly urged the police to fire on protestors.

This incident prompted protestors from the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, along with current and former journalists from the channel, to issue a 24-hour ultimatum for Zobair Rahman's resignation.

In the wake of these events, the High Court ordered the suspension of Somoy TV's broadcast.

Ahmed Zobair subsequently filed a separate application with the company bench of the High Court, challenging the validity of his dismissal.

Meanwhile, on August 5, Sheikh Hasina resigned as prime minister amid the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and left the country.

Following this news, angry mobs attacked and vandalized several media offices, including Somoy TV, causing a temporary shutdown of the channel. Somoy TV later resumed broadcasting, leading to the current ownership dispute.

Somoy TV began its commercial operations on April 17, 2011, after receiving its license in 2009. At the time of licensing, Ahmed Zobair, the nephew of former minister Kamrul Islam, held 93% of the shares.

According to business and family sources, 90% of these shares actually belonged to Kamrul Islam, though they were registered under Zobair's name.

Other shareholders included Kamrul Islam's brother, Morshedul Islam, with a 3% stake, and Niaz Morshed and Tushar Abdullah with 2% each.

One of the country's top business groups, Citigroup, later invested Tk65 crore in Somoy Television, acquiring 75% of the shares.

However, management control remained with the family of former minister Kamrul through Zobair. Tushar Abdullah eventually left the channel.