December 24, 2001	Monday	Shawwal 8, 1422

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DHAKA, Dec 23: Even before a ball has been bowled, American media company WorldTel has again pulled the plug on next month’s home series between Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Apparently the production company of Mark Mascarenhas has failed to resolve its long-running dispute with satellite broadcaster Sony Entertainment Television (SET).

The row resulted in no international coverage of Zimbabwe’s tour of Bangladesh in November. Eventually though both the two Tests and three One-day Internationals were shown courtesy of state-run Bangladesh Television and private network Ekushey Television.

Under a five-year deal signed in September last year, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and WorldTel, the Board would be receiving 11.7 million dollars for covering nine home series.

WorldTel then sold the exclusive television rights to Indian satellite channel SET for 17 million dollars.

But in a strange twist of events neither party was unwilling to telecast Bangladesh’s maiden home series against the southern Africans for a variety of reasons.

However, BCB director Ahmed Sajjadul Alam, who is also the member secretary of Media Committee (Electronic), said Friday the same makeshift arrangements will be used during the two Tests and three one-dayers against Pakistan.

It means BTV will again be charge of production and ETV will help Pakistan Television (PTV) telecast the matches.