Bangla TV ( bn, বাংলা টিভি) is a Bengali-language satellite television channel based in the United Kingdom and Bangladesh. It was established in the United Kingdom on 16 September 1999, targeting
Bengali audiences both there and in Europe. It commenced transmissions in Bangladesh on 19 May 2017.
History
Established on 16 September 1999 by Feroze Khan, Bangla TV is the first
Bengali language
Bengali ( ), generally known by its endonym Bangla (, ), is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language native to the Bengal region of South Asia. It is the official, national, and most widely spoken language of Bangladesh and the second m ...
television channel launched in the United Kingdom. It operated as a subscription-only channel until 2005, following the arrival of
Channel S
Channel S is a UK-based, free-to-air television channel targeting the British Bangladeshi community. The channel was established on 16 December 2004 by Mahee Ferdous Jalil, a Bangladeshi businessman in London. On Sky it at first had a timesha ...
, a rival channel providing a free-to-air service targeting its programming specifically for the Bengali
Sylheti
Sylheti may refer to:
* Sylhetis, an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group in the Sylhet division and South Assam
* Sylheti language, a language of the Sylheti region
* Sylheti Nagri
Sylheti Nagri or Sylheti Nagari ( syl, , ISO: , ), known in cla ...
community in the United Kingdom. Following the launch of Channel S, Bangla TV also switched over to a non-subscription based model and to date have been providing the service free.
In November 2013, Bangla TV gained a license from the
to broadcast in Bangladesh. It had also received its frequency allocation in January 2015, and officially began broadcasting in that country on 19 May 2017. In July 2017, Bangla TV, along with four other television channels in Bangladesh, signed an agreement with
UNICEF
UNICEF (), originally called the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund in full, now officially United Nations Children's Fund, is an agency of the United Nations responsible for providing Humanitarianism, humanitarian and Devel ...
to air children's programming for one minute. On 19 May 2019, Bangla TV, along with six other channels, began broadcasting via the
Bangabandhu-1
The Bangabandhu Satellite-1 (''Bangabandhu-1'') is the first Bangladeshi geostationary communications and broadcasting satellite. It is named after the father of the nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. It was manufactured by Thales Aleni ...
satellite after signing an agreement with
BSCL.
Temporary removals
Bangla TV was removed from
Sky
The sky is an unobstructed view upward from the surface of the Earth. It includes the atmosphere and outer space. It may also be considered a place between the ground and outer space, thus distinct from outer space.
In the field of astronomy, ...
channel 786 on 1 July 2010, before returning on 9 July, no explanation was provided. Bangla TV was again removed from the Sky EPG during December 2010 before being found in serious breach of
Ofcom
The Office of Communications, commonly known as Ofcom, is the government-approved regulatory and competition authority for the broadcasting, telecommunications and postal industries of the United Kingdom.
Ofcom has wide-ranging powers acros ...
rules. The channel returned again on 17 June 2011, under new management.
Bangla TV was again removed from the Sky EPG during December 2013 and January 2014 before returning on 10 February 2014. It was again removed on 7 August 2014 and continues to have intermittent TV transmission.
See also
*
British Bangladeshi
British Bangladeshis ( bn, বিলাতী বাংলাদেশী, Bilatī Bangladeshī) are people of Bangladeshi origin who have attained citizenship in the United Kingdom, through immigration and historical naturalisation. The term ...
*
List of television stations in Bangladesh
Around 45 privately owned television channels were permitted by the Government of Bangladesh as of 2019, of which thirty four are currently on air. Five television channels, namely CSB News, Channel 1, Diganta Television, Islamic TV, and Chann ...
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bangla Tv
Television channels and stations established in 1999
Television channels in the United Kingdom
Television channels in Bangladesh
Bengali-language television channels
British Bangladeshi mass media
1999 establishments in the United Kingdom