Piracy pillaging music industry

In Bangladesh, piracy is a rampant issue affecting intellectual property. Artistes, musician, composers -- music industry on the whole -- are being victimised by this unfair practice by vested groups. Artistes feel the need to figure out an effective way out of this situation.
Despite anti-piracy drive, this practice is still very much on in the country. A production requires significant investment of money, talent and time. The production house and the artistes naturally expect returns from their projects. But piracy smashes those hopes.
The major perpetrators are pirated CDs and free downloads on the Internet. Pirated copies of music have become so easily accessible that consumers don't feel encouraged to go for the genuine products. As a result investors and creative individuals face huge loss.
Piracy has become a threat to creativity as well as commerce in the world of intellectual properties in Bangladesh. A song that becomes hugely popular doesn't necessarily enjoy legitimate record sale. Artistes may get recognition but without any financial benefit. For the production houses, it's a lose-lose situation.

Piracy is often encouraged at musical stores by vendors in the absence of strict laws and their implementation. Moreover, when songs are uploaded on various websites. Internet users can easily download them for free. Often it is almost impossible for an average consumer to differentiate between the original and its pirated copy.
Non-branded CD, DVDs are available in our local markets. Groups involved in piracy buy these non-branded CDs and DVDS at cheap prices and copy songs, plays, films etc on them. In this regard, Selim Khan, chief of Sangeeta Productions, said, “These non-branded CDs, DVDS are easily available in our markets, which is one of the main reasons for piracy.”
Recently, singer Kumar Bishwajit, president of Music Industries Owners Association of Bangladesh; Khorshed Alam, vice-president of Bangladesh Film Producers and Distributors Association and Major Masum Ahmed, chief coordinator of Movement Against Piracy held a meeting with join secretaries and secretaries to Commerce, Home and Cultural Affairs Ministries. They discussed some plans for eliminating all sorts of piracy affecting intellectual properties.
Law enforcers including police and RAB have been combating piracy in the country for a while. They have arrested many with pirated CDs and DVDs. But some of the groups/individuals involved in this crime are apparently quite bold and well connected.