Bangladesh Regulation

 

Copyright, is a bundle of rights, which grants protection to the unique expression of ideas. Ideas per se cannot be protected; it is the expression of ideas in a material medium that is the subject matter of copyright protection. Copyright is a negative right and the owner of a copyright gets the right to prevent others from copying his work without his consent towards a commercial end. However, at the same time it gives to the author an exclusive right for the commercial exploitation of his work.

The domain of copyright extends to original literary, dramatic, artistic, cinematographic films, sound recording and computer programs. Copyright assumes supreme importance for authors, artists, architects, composers, music production companies and producers, film production companies, computer programmers and designers. An author, an artist, a composer or a designer looks forward to the commercial benefits accruing from his work, apart from intellectual satisfaction. Many a times unscrupulous traders copy best sellers, or produce pirated versions of a hit-movie or chart topping sound track and sell it at a price that is just a fraction of the original work. This in turn, eats into the commercial benefits that the author of an original work rightly expects and deserves. Copyright law comes in here and secures the interests of the author, punishes the infringer and thus provides incentives for fresh and original works. A copyright can be transferred or can be assigned or licensed for a consideration. Copyright, unlike the other Intellectual Property rights does not require any formal procedures as such and affords protection during the whole lifetime of the author and sixty-years thereafter.
  

 

The Laws

For the time being the law concerning copyrights is the most modern intellectual property law in Bangladesh. The Copyright Law in force in Bangladesh at present in The Copyright Act, 2000.

 

Conventions

Bangladesh is a party to the Universal Copyright Convention, Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works (Paris 1971). As such, Berne Convention Priority is available in Bangladesh

 

Administration

The Government of Bangladesh maintains The Copyright Office in Dhaka. All the courts of District Judge in each district and the Magistrates do take cases for judicial enforcement of various existing Intellectual Property laws of Bangladesh. The Supreme Court and the several courts of the High Court Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh hear the Intellectual Property appeal cases.

 

Eligibility for Registration

To obtain a copyright on any art, it must be drawn or written by the applicant himself or the applicant must make someone draw or write for him.

Scopes of dispute

In the present times with the easy availability of good printing systems, photographic accessories, computer technologies, various chemicals, and customized spare parts, the copyright imitation has become easier. Copyright infringement of artistic materials, books and especially software are very common in Bangladesh.