What is Copyright?
The legal notion of copyright is enacted by the parliament which grants exclusive rights to the creator of an original work, usually for a specified period of time. Copyright is one of the most important fields of Intellectual Property in the realm of literature, as it relates to exclusive monopoly rights. It provides exclusive publication, distribution, and usage rights for the creator. This implies that any content created by the creator cannot be copied or used or published by anyone else without the permission of the person.
Copyright in Bangladesh
In Bangladesh, the owner of creation must register it with the Copyright Register in accordance with the law to obtain copyright protection. The relevant law is the Copyright Act, 2000. Under the Act it is 2000 Act, registration is not mandatory to obtain copyright protection under the Copyright Act. However, copyright protection is legally guaranteed to copyright owners by registration. For instance, a certificate of registration of a literary, dramatic, or artistic work is considered prima facie evidence in the event of a dispute.
Any person other than the registered owner can obtain copyright protection by the issuance of a license, either voluntary or obligatory, or through other mechanisms such as assignment. Infringement laws and remedies for copyright infringement are also important in providing copyright protection to copyright owners.
Copyright Registration in Bangladesh is handled by the Copyright Office, which is in charge of keeping record of all copyrighted works. The Registrar should be contacted for any applications for registration, transfer, abandonment, or alteration of the register.
Who can apply?
Registration of copyrights is required under section 56 of the Copyright Act of 2000. The owner of a copyright in a work, or other people interested in a copyright of a work may make an application to the Registrar in the prescribed form, along with the requisite fees, for the information to be included in the Register of Copyrights. Upon receipt of an application under sub-section (1), the Registrar may, after making such inquiry as he deems necessary, insert the particulars of the work in the Register of Copyrights and certify such registration to the applicant, unless he believes that such entry should not be made in regards to any work. Following receipt of the application, the Registrar serves a notice to everyone who is interested in the subject matter of the application. If any objections arise, the Registrar will take whatever action he considers appropriate.
Our Firm
In Russel & Partners we assist clients with copyright advice and registration. The copyright enforcement on the internet is widely common and this is also covered within our expertise. We assist clients in drafting and obtaining permission for copyright uses, rights transfers, assignment, and other agreements and contracts with users and performers. Moreover, we assist them with license drafting, publishing and modifying contracts. In the copyright field, our litigation services include the civil and criminal suppression of unfair and unlawful use of work.