Police have apprehended Kaushik Hossain Taposh, the chairman of the private television channel Gaan Bangla. He was arrested on Sunday (3 November), from Uttara, the capital’s northern suburb.
Following the political shift in the country on 5 August, Gaan Bangla—Bangladesh’s sole music-based television channel—fell victim to severe vandalism.
Located on Pragati Sarani in the capital, much of the channel’s facility was destroyed, with damages reportedly amounting to several crores of taka.
The building, extending from the 8th to the 10th floors, housed Gaan Bangla’s studio setup, shooting floors, sound systems, editing panels, broadcasting equipment, and other apparatus.
Nearly all the glass on the building’s exterior was shattered, with intruders allegedly entering and systematically destroying and discarding the costly equipment outside the building, where flames were visible at the entrance.
Gaan Bangla channel has featured nearly every prominent musician in the country and has also hosted various government events organised by Taposh.
Many speculate that Taposh’s known close association with the Hasina government might have incited the outraged crowd to carry out the destruction at the channel’s premises.
