Grameenphone has been accused of using the copyrighted songs of Baul legend Shah Abdul Karim in its advertisements without permission. A legal notice has been served, demanding the removal of the songs from all platforms, public apology, and compensation of 20 crore taka.
Unauthorized Use of Shah Abdul Karim’s Songs
Grameenphone, one of the leading mobile operators in Bangladesh, has been sent a legal notice for using two copyrighted songs of Baul maestro Shah Abdul Karim without permission. The notice was issued by Barrister Rajin Ahmed on behalf of Karim’s son, Shah Nurjalal.
The legal notice claims that the songs “Rongila Baroi” and “Kon Mistri Nao Banaiyese” were commercially used in Grameenphone advertisements aired in 2016 and 2022 without proper authorization.
Violation of Copyright and Moral Rights
The notice highlights that the unauthorized use of these songs violates the Copyright Act and infringes on the moral rights of the artist. It demands that Grameenphone remove all content containing these songs from both online and offline platforms within 72 hours.
The notice also requests that Grameenphone publicly apologize and properly recognize Shah Abdul Karim for the use of his songs.
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Compensation Demand
A compensation of BDT 20 crore has been demanded in the notice, with BDT 10 crore for each song. The Karim family’s lawyer warned that if the demands are not met within seven days, they would pursue civil and criminal legal action under the Copyright Act, 2023.
Family Statement
Shah Nurjalal, son of Shah Abdul Karim, expressed:
“আমরা গ্রামের মানুষ আইন খুব একটা বুঝি না। কিন্তু এটা বুঝি, বাবার গান কেউ ব্যবসায়িক উদ্দেশ্যে ব্যবহার করলে আমাদের অনুমতি নেওয়া উচিত ছিল। সেই গান থেকে আয় হলে, আমাদেরও তো একটা প্রাপ্য থাকে।”
Translation: “We are villagers and don’t understand the law very well. But we do understand that if someone uses our father’s songs for commercial purposes, they should have taken our permission. If income is earned from those songs, we also have a rightful share.”
Grameenphone Yet to Respond
So far, Grameenphone has not issued any formal response regarding the legal notice and compensation demand.
Source: Jago News 24
