He said these things at a press conference organized on the occasion of the broadcast of the 2026 World Cup football at the conference room of the Department of Information in the Secretariat today Sunday.
The Information Minister said that the government has purchased the media rights for the 2026 World Cup directly from FIFA for 3.85 million US dollars. Subsequently, most of the money has been recovered through sub-licensing to four broadcasters in the country. As a result, the actual expenditure of the government is now limited to only four to five crore taka, and he expressed hope that this deficit will also be covered through ongoing revenue-sharing discussions.
The Information Minister said that the Honorable Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had clear instructions - that the people of the country should be able to enjoy the World Cup, but no additional burden should be placed on the taxpayers' money. Keeping that goal in mind, the government acquired the broadcasting rights through long-term discussions, negotiations, and coordination at various levels directly with FIFA, completely bypassing intermediaries.
Zahir Uddin Swapan said that although the broadcasting rights for the 2022 World Cup were taken from FIFA for 3.2 million US dollars, it was not collected directly by the Bangladesh government. First, a Singapore-based entity purchased the rights, and later a private Bangladeshi company, Toma Construction, acquired those rights. Subsequently, Bangladesh Television (BTV) bought the broadcasting rights from that company for about Tk 98 crore. At the same time, Toma Construction sold the satellite and digital media rights separately to two private companies for about Tk 40 crore. In total, transactions through intermediaries amounted to about Tk 140 crore.
He said that the entire process in 2022 involved two levels of intermediaries. However, this time, by purchasing the rights directly from FIFA, the government has closed the door to that additional expense and opacity. As a result, taxpayers' money has been saved and the financial interests of the state have been protected.
The Minister said that broadcasting the World Cup is not just a sporting event; it is an important service of the government to the people. However, this service should never be turned into an opportunity for corruption. By comparing the experience of the past with the current system, the people will easily understand which method is profitable and transparent for the state.
The Information Minister further said that with the aim of making future World Cup broadcasts more technology-dependent, financially sustainable, and profitable, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting will adopt plans from now on, so that in the future, alongside ensuring World Cup broadcasts for the people, it becomes a profitable venture for the state as well.
Present at the press conference were Md. Shah Alam, Secretary (Routine Duty) of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Chief Information Officer Syed Abdal Ahmed, and Director General of Bangladesh Television Md. Mahbubul Alam.
