DHAKA: Country’s audio-video businessmen Thursday urged the government to apply the TRIPS accord that allows them to run their filming business till 2013 legally bypassing the International Copyright Act.

“We want the government to let us run our business with foreign films sans compliance with international copyright up to 2013 as per the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Accord,” said Ashek Mahammud Shahin, Joint-secretary of Bangladesh Audio-Video Shop Owners Association (BAVSOA), at a press meet at Dhaka Reporters Unity.

He said the government postponed the timeframe up to July 1, 2013 under the TRIPS accord since the international community concerned gave their consent to the decision considering Bangladesh as a least developed country.

They also alleged a vested quarter was attempting to destroy their business misguiding the administration as raids are being conducted in the name of “piracy”, in a flagrant violation of the accord that grants the country immunity from the copyright compliance up to the period.

The joint-secretary of the Association, Ashek Mahammud Shahin, presented the keynote.

BAVSOA President Mohammad Mahiuddin and General Secretary Anwar Parvej, among others, attended the press meet.


BDST: 1357 HRS, AUGUST 12, 2010.