Online Report
In a move to protect the country’s burgeoning digital entertainment sector, several over-the-top (OTT) platforms have sought urgent support from the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to combat the rampant piracy of their contents on a host of illegal online platforms.
According to a letter obtained by the FE, Banglalink Digital Communications Ltd, the operator of the popular “Toffee” streaming platform, has formally requested the BTRC’s intervention to prevent the unauthorised distribution of its exclusive digital contents.
The company stated that its monitoring team had identified several illegal platforms, such as Sportafy, HD Streams, Cricity TV, Krira TV, and Bishwas TV, that continuously pirate and stream Toffee’s contents without authorisation. The appeal noted that piracy was not limited to websites, but also extended to torrent sites, illicit APK portals, Telegram channels, and GitHub-hosted files that make Toffee’s premium contents freely available.
“Toffee holds the exclusive digital rights to stream live games, movies, and dramas, yet these piracy platforms deliberately promote unauthorised streaming, undermining our licenced services and directly impacting the business,” the letter detailed.
Banglalink warned that this widespread piracy has already resulted in significant financial losses for the company and a subsequent decline in government revenue. It also highlighted the serious cyber-security risks posed to consumers, as many of the unauthorised applications originate from unverified sources and may contain malware or mechanisms designed for data theft.
Citing the imminent start of the Asia Cup 2025, the letter stressed the urgency of regulatory intervention, recalling that such piracy operations become highly active during major sporting tournaments.
Banglalink specifically requested the Commission’s support in a multi-pronged approach: blocking the domains hosting the illegal applications and torrent sites, coordinating with internet service providers (ISPs) to restrict access to these platforms in Bangladesh, initiating official takedown requests for the files hosted on platforms like GitHub, and engaging law enforcement authorities to identify and penalise those involved in these illegal operations.
The company enclosed a comprehensive list of the identified illegal entities with its appeal and expressed its readiness to provide a detailed presentation to the Commission if required.
Industry insiders have confirmed that Banglalink is not alone in its struggle, and other major OTT operators are facing similar challenges and seeking comparable action from the regulator to protect their content rights.