Draft:List of television stations in Bangladesh

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Television broadcasting in Bangladesh comprises the state-owned Bangladesh Television (BTV), which pioneered the medium in the country (East Pakistan) during 1965 as the exclusive terrestrial broadcaster, alongside a rapidly expanding collection of private satellite channels sanctioned by governmental authorities.[1][2] According to official records as of October 2025, regulatory bodies have granted licences to 50 private television channels, with 36 currently operational and broadcasting content, while BTV's national and regional outlets continue to maintain monopoly control over free-to-air over-the-air transmissions.[3] This substantial expansion, catalysed by policy reforms facilitating private sector participation in the late 1990s, has stimulated competitive programming across news, entertainment, and cultural sectors, primarily produced in Bengali language, against a backdrop of household television penetration exceeding 67 percent.[4] Prominent private broadcasters commanding significant viewership include Channel i, ATN Bangla, and NTV, which operate alongside BTV's public service obligations.[5]

History[edit source]

Origins and State Monopoly (1964-1990s)[edit source]

The region's television broadcasting commenced experimentally on 25 December 1964 in Dhaka (then Dacca), functioning as the East Pakistan relay station for the Pakistan Television Corporation and initially transmitting black-and-white material including a musical performance by singer Ferdousi Rahman.[6] This pioneering transmission, accessible exclusively within a restricted urban perimeter due to analog terrestrial VHF technology and insufficient transmission infrastructure, constituted the sole television service in East Pakistan, with programming predominantly comprising educational and cultural segments subject to stringent governmental oversight.[7] Regular broadcasting commenced in early 1965, reinforcing its position as the exclusive medium for mass communication despite infrastructural limitations including power shortages and scarce receiver ownership, which restricted access primarily to affluent households in Dhaka.[8]

Following Bangladesh's Independence in December 1971, the broadcasting facility was redesignated as Bangladesh Television (BTV) on 6 March 1972, transitioning to complete national control while preserving its state monopoly status.[9] On 9 February 1975, BTV relocated its operations to a specially constructed headquarters in Rampura, Dhaka, moving from interim facilities situated in the DIT building, thereby facilitating expanded studio production notwithstanding economic reconstruction challenges following the Liberation War, including equipment deficits and funding constraints.[10] Coverage expansion during the 1970s depended on establishing relay stations in regional centers, yet terrestrial signal propagation difficulties—compounded by hilly topography, seasonal flooding, and rural electrification shortfalls—restricted population reach to approximately 10-20% by the late 1980s, with urban concentration perpetuating centralised political messaging.

BTV commenced color transmissions on 16 December 1980 through the programme Desher Gaan, introducing full-time color service as an early adopter within the Indian subcontinent, though widespread adoption was delayed due to prohibitive costs of color television sets (initially affordable to fewer than 5% of households) and unreliable electricity supply. This technological enhancement, administered by the Ministry of Information, prioritized state-approved content including national anthems and development communications, sustaining the broadcaster's monopoly through regulatory restrictions and absence of private licensing provisions until the 1990s. Throughout this era, BTV's programming emphasized government-aligned news coverage, agricultural education initiatives, and cultural presentations, with content selection reflecting authoritarian influences under successive regimes, operating without competitive pressures or independent journalism benchmarks.

State-owned[edit source]

As of today, Bangladesh has four state-owned television channels. Among them, Bangladesh Television (BTV) is the oldest, founded in 1964.

Name Native name Launched Notes Reference(s)
BTV বাংলাদেশ টেলিভিশন 25 December 1964 (1964-12-25) Originally part of Pakistan Television, it was revamped into its current form following Bangladesh's independence. [11]
BTV Chittagong বিটিভি চট্টগ্রাম 19 December 1996 (1996-12-19) Regional station serving the Chittagong division. [11]
BTV News বিটিভি নিউজ 31 December 2024 (2024-12-31) State-owned news channel that replaced BTV World. [[1]]
Sangsad Bangladesh সংসদ বাংলাদেশ টেলিভিশন 25 January 2011 (2011-01-25) Broadcasts live from the National Parliament. [11]

Relay stations[edit source]

Name Native name Launched Notes Reference(s)
BTV Khulna বিটিভি খুলনা 11 March 1977 (1977-03-11) Slated to be converted into a regional station [12]
BTV Mymensingh বিটিভি ময়মনসিংহ May 1979 (1979-05) Slated to be converted into a regional station [13][14]
BTV Rajshahi বিটিভি রাজশাহী 13 June 2001 (2001-06-13) Slated to be converted into a regional station [15]
BTV Rangpur বিটিভি রংপুর December 1978 (1978-12) Slated to be converted into a regional station [16]
BTV Sylhet বিটিভি সিলেট June 1977 (1977-06) Slated to be converted into a regional station [13][14]

Defunct[edit source]

Channel Launched Closed Notes
BTV World 11 April 2004 31 December 2024 State-owned international channel. Replaced by BTV News after closedown.

Privately owned[edit source]

Mixed entertainment[edit source]

Name Native name Launched Owner Notes Reference(s)
ATN Bangla এটিএন বাংলা 15 July 1997 (1997-07-15) Multimedia Production Company Ltd. Bangladesh's first privately owned television channel. [11]
Channel i চ্যানেল আই 1 October 1999 (1999-10-01) Impress Group Bangladesh's first Digital Satellite Television [11]
Ekushey Television একুশে টেলিভিশন 14 April 2000 (2000-04-14) Ekushey Television Limited Formerly broadcast via terrestrial television. Shut down in 2002 but returned on satellite television in 2007. [11]
NTV এনটিভি 3 July 2003 (2003-07-03) International Television Channel Ltd. [11]
RTV আরটিভি 26 December 2005 (2005-12-26) Bengal Media Corporation Formerly known as National Television Limited [11]
Boishakhi TV বৈশাখী টেলিভিশন 27 December 2005 (2005-12-27) Boishakhi Media Limited (Destiny 2000 Limited) Formerly owned by BNS Group of Companies [11]
Banglavision বাংলাভিশন 31 March 2006 (2006-03-31) Shyamol Bangla Media Ltd. [11]
My TV মাই টিভি 15 April 2010 (2010-04-15) V.M. International Ltd. [11]
Mohona Television মোহনা টিভি 11 November 2010 (2010-11-11) Mohona Television Limited [11]
Maasranga Television মাছরাঙ্গা টেলিভিশন 30 July 2011 (2011-07-30) Square Group [11]
Channel 9 চ্যানেল নাইন 30 January 2012 (2012-01-30) Virgo Media Limited [11]
GTV জিটিভি 12 June 2012 (2012-06-12) Gazi Satellite Television Limited (Gazi Group Limited) [11]
Asian TV এশিয়ান টিভি 18 January 2013 (2013-01-18) Asian Group of Industries [11]
SA TV এসএ টিভি 19 January 2013 (2013-01-19) S. A. Group S A Paribahan [11]
Bijoy TV বিজয় টিভি 31 May 2013 (2013-05-31) Bijoy Television Limited [11]
Deepto TV দীপ্ত টিভি 18 November 2015 (2015-11-18) Kazi Media Limited Kazi Farms Group [11]
Bangla TV বাংলা টিভি 19 May 2017 (2017-05-19) Akhter Group British Bangali channel [11]
Nagorik TV নাগরিক টিভি 1 March 2018 (2018-03-01) Jadoo Media Limited Mohammadi Group [11]
Ananda TV আনন্দ টিভি 11 March 2018 (2018-03-11) Abbasuddin Media Ltd. [11]
Global Television গ্লোবাল টেলিভিশন 30 June 2022 (2022-06-30) Globe Multimedia Limited [17]
Green TV গ্রিন টিভি 19 May 2023 (2023-05-19) Rongdhanu Group [18]
Channel S চ্যানেল এস 12 June 2024 (2024-06-12) Sunshine Television Limited [19]

News[edit source]

Name Native name Launched Owner Notes Reference(s)
Channel 1 চ্যানেল ওয়ান 24 January 2006 (2006-01-24) One Entertainment Limited Originally launched as a mixed entertainment channel, but was shut down on 27 April 2010. Returned as a news channel on 27 April 2026. [20]
Desh TV দেশ টিভি 26 March 2009 (2009-03-26) Karnaphuli Group Formerly a mixed entertainment television channel [11]
ATN News এটিএন নিউজ 7 June 2010 (2010-06-07) ATN News Limited (Multimedia Production Company Ltd.) First contemporary news channel in Bangladesh [11]
Somoy TV সময় টিভি 17 April 2011 (2011-04-17) Somoy Media Limited (City Group) [11]
Independent Television ইনডিপেনডেন্ট টেলিভিশন 28 July 2011 (2011-07-28) Independent Television Limited (BEXIMCO) First local channel to use MPEG-4 [11]
Channel 24 চ্যানেল টুয়েন্টিফোর 24 May 2012 (2012-05-24) Times Media Limited (Ha-meem Group) Formerly a mixed entertainment television channel [11]
Ekattor একাত্তর 21 June 2012 (2012-06-21) Ekattor Media Limited (Meghna Group of Industries) First full HD news channel [11]
Jamuna Television যমুনা টেলিভিশন 5 April 2014 (2014-04-05) Jamuna Television Limited (Jamuna Group) [11]
News24 নিউজ টুয়েন্টি ফোর 28 July 2016 (2016-07-28) East West Media Group Bashundhara Group [11]
DBC News ডিবিসি নিউজ 21 September 2016 (2016-09-21) Dhaka Bangla Media & Communication Ltd. [11]
Star News স্টার নিউজ 20 January 2026 (2026-01-20) Nabil Group of Industries [21]

Infotainment[edit source]

Name Native name Launched Owner Notes Reference(s)
Nexus Television নেক্সাস টেলিভিশন 30 July 2021 (2021-07-30) S. Alam Group of Industries Non-fiction television channel [22]

Business-related[edit source]

Name Native name Launched Owner Notes Reference(s)
Ekhon এখন 9 June 2022 City Group Formerly Spice Television during its prelaunch [23][24]

Religious[edit source]

Name Native name Launched Owner Notes Reference(s)
Islamic TV ইসলামিক টিভি April 2007 (2007-04) Broadcast Islamic World Shut down in 2013; returned on 19 February 2026. [25][26]

Music[edit source]

Name Native name Launched Owner Notes Reference(s)
Gaan Bangla[lower-alpha 1] গান বাংলা 16 December 2013 (2013-12-16) One More Zero Group [11]

Children's[edit source]

Name Native name Launched Owner Notes Reference(s)
Duronto TV দুরন্ত টিভি 5 October 2017 (2017-10-05) Barind Media Limited [11]

Sports[edit source]

Name Native name Launched Owner Notes
T Sports টি স্পোর্টস 9 November 2020 (2020-11-09) East West Media Group (Bashundhara Group) [11]

Defunct[edit source]

Channel Launched and closed
STV-US 22 November 2005 – 15 March 2007
CSB News 9 April 2007 – 6 September 2007
Diganta Television 28 August 2008 – 6 May 2013
Channel 16 16 December 2011 – 2 December 2014

Upcoming channels[edit source]

Read also[edit source]


References[edit source]

  1. ↑ https://bbs.portal.gov.bd/sites/default/files/files/bbs.portal.gov.bd/page/86b66335_4fa7_4143_a034_9abe3c537553/2020-05-15-16-21-919737265f99c7c1397ac87a11cdbcf6.pdf
  2. ↑ https://btrc.portal.gov.bd/sites/default/files/files/btrc.portal.gov.bd/annual_reports/851d78f5_c1c2_411a_a30d_341cef7775d9/2022-02-09-05-29-11613ef8220844934a991009b770acea.pdf
  3. ↑ https://en.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/ul0pqkdoj2
  4. ↑ https://www.newagebd.net/post/Opinion/258328/bangladeshs-media-crossroads
  5. ↑ https://medialandscapes.org/country/bangladesh/media/television
  6. ↑ https://www.daily-sun.com/printversion/details/277656
  7. ↑ https://www.tbsnews.net/entertainment/bangladesh-television-turns-56
  8. ↑ https://en.banglapedia.org/index.php/Television
  9. ↑ https://en.banglapedia.org/index.php/Television
  10. ↑ https://www.lawyersnjurists.com/article/studio-program-eng-transmission-system-btv/
  11. ↑ 11.00 11.01 11.02 11.03 11.04 11.05 11.06 11.07 11.08 11.09 11.10 11.11 11.12 11.13 11.14 11.15 11.16 11.17 11.18 11.19 11.20 11.21 11.22 11.23 11.24 11.25 11.26 11.27 11.28 11.29 11.30 11.31 11.32 11.33 তালিকা ধরে চ্যানেল দেখানোর নির্দেশনা ক্যাবল অপারেটরদের. BanglaNews24 (in Bengali). 3 October 2019. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  12. ↑ "প্রধানমন্ত্রীর প্রতিশ্রুতির এক যুগেও বাস্তবায়ন হয়নি বিটিভির খুলনা কেন্দ্র". banglanews24.com (in Bengali). 7 November 2023. Archived from the original on 10 May 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Television Factbook" (PDF). 1981–82. p. 1189. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 May 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 "Short Brief of Technical Profile of BTV" (PDF). Bangladesh Television. p. 3. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  15. ↑ অবশেষে আসছে বিটিভির 'রাজশাহী উপকেন্দ্র'. BanglaNews24 (in Bengali). 3 May 2011. Archived from the original on 30 August 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  16. ↑ চার দশকেও পূর্ণাঙ্গ চালু হয়নি বিটিভির আঞ্চলিক সম্প্রচার কেন্দ্র. Bangladesh Pratidin (in Bengali). 6 December 2021. Archived from the original on 2 October 2023. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  17. ↑ পূর্ণাঙ্গ সম্প্রচারে আসছে গ্লোবাল টেলিভিশন. GlobalTVBD. 30 June 2022. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
  18. ↑ জমকালো আয়োজনে গ্রিন টিভির যাত্রা শুরু. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). 19 May 2023. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  19. ↑ 'চ্যানেল এস' এর যাত্রা শুরু. Bdnews24.com (in Bengali). 13 June 2024. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  20. ↑ "Channel 1 to resume broadcasting from tomorrow after 16 years". The Business Standard. 26 April 2026. Retrieved 26 April 2026.
  21. ↑ স্টার নিউজের আনুষ্ঠানিক সম্প্রচার শুরু. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). 20 January 2026. Retrieved 25 January 2026.
  22. ↑ "যাত্রা শুরু করল নেক্সাস টেলিভিশন" [Nexus Television begins transmissions]. The Daily Star (in Bengali). 30 July 2021. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  23. ↑ স্পাইস টিভি পরীক্ষামূলক সম্প্রচার শুরু করছে আজ. Barta24. 17 December 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  24. ↑ Com, Jagonews24 (10 June 2022). যাত্রা শুরু করলো দেশের প্রথম ব্যবসাকেন্দ্রিক টিভি ‘এখন’. Jago News 24 (in Bengali). Retrieved 13 June 2022.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  25. ↑ "Diganta, Islamic TV taken off air". BDNews24. 6 May 2013. Archived from the original on 8 May 2013.
  26. ↑ ১৬ বছর পর ফিরল চ্যানেল ওয়ান, প্রস্তুতিতে আরও তিন চ্যানেল. Star News (in Bengali). 3 May 2026. Archived from the original on 8 May 2026. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  27. ↑ "Why did Gaan Bangla suddenly go off-air?". Dhaka Tribune. 11 December 2024.
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 28.3 28.4 28.5 28.6 28.7 28.8 "Hasan: 45 TV channels get permission, 30 in operation". Dhaka Tribune. 12 November 2019. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  29. ↑ "AL MP accuses Benazir, cohorts of snatching 70pc share of Citizen TV". New Age. 2024-06-02.
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 পুরোনো প্রক্রিয়ায় নতুন দুটি টিভি চ্যানেলের লাইসেন্স, কারা পেল. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). 7 October 2025. Retrieved 7 October 2025.

External links[edit source]

Template:Television in Bangladesh


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