The Orion Infrastructure Limited has sued Independent Television Tk500 crore over misleading reports published by the broadcaster regarding a flyover project.
The defamation lawsuit was filed in the 4th Joint District Judge Court of Dhaka.
The legal action follows the airing of “defamatory and baseless allegations” on 18-19 September concerning Orion’s flagship project, the Jatrabari-Gulistan Flyover, a statement issued by the conglomerate said today (24 September).
“The reports broadcasted by Independent Television contained false and misleading claims, including accusations regarding shareholder removal, escalated project costs, and mismanagement of toll collections,” said the statement.
It added that despite issuing both a formal rejoinder and a legal notice, Independent Television failed to rectify these inaccuracies, compelling Orion Infrastructure Limited to pursue legal recourse to protect its reputation.
Orion Infrastructure Limited categorically denies all allegations, the statement reads.
“The claims concerning shareholder removal, cost escalations related to financing, and toll collection irregularities are entirely fabricated.
“These misrepresentations appear to be part of a deliberate attempt to undermine the credibility of the first successful Public-Private Partnership (PPP) infrastructure project in Bangladesh,” Orion said.
“Such defamatory reporting has caused severe reputational harm and could potentially discourage private investment in the country’s infrastructure sector, jeopardising broader socio-economic development,” it added.
In the statement, Orion Infrastructure said it considers “these unfounded allegations not only a direct attack on its corporate integrity but also detrimental to national interests. It is critical to set the record straight to
safeguard both the reputation of the company and continued progress in Bangladesh’s infrastructure development”.
Moreover, it noted that this is not the first instance of such defamatory broadcasting by Independent Television.
On 19 September, Orion Group filed a Tk500cr defamation suit against the channel for making false claims about Orion’s six power companies.
The case is currently under judicial review.
Orion Infrastructure Limited remains committed to upholding the highest standards of transparency and accountability and will take all necessary steps to ensure that justice is served, and that responsible journalism is upheld, its statement said.
