BTV Chittagong explained

Bangladesh Television Chattogram
বাংলাদেশ টেলিভিশন চট্টগ্রাম
Headquarters:Pahartali, Chittagong[1]
Country:Bangladesh
Language:Bengali
Chittagonian
Area:Nationwide
Owner:Government of Bangladesh
Key People:Nur Anwar Hossain Ranju (General Manager)
Sister Channels:BTV National
BTV World
BTV Khulna
Sangsad Television
Parent:Bangladesh Television

Bangladesh Television Chattogram or Bangladesh Television Chittagong, branded on-air as BTV Chittagong or BTV Chattogram, sometimes known as CTV,[2] is a BTV-affiliated television station broadcast from Chittagong, serving southeastern Bangladesh. It is the network's first and currently the only regional television station. It was launched in 1996 and initially broadcast for one and a half hour, but the broadcast schedule significantly increased over time. It broadcasts on a full-day basis daily on both terrestrial and satellite television. BTV Chittagong started broadcasting on satellite television in 2016.[3] It is also a nationwide terrestrial television station along with BTV Dhaka and Sangsad Television, as it reaches 75% of the area of Bangladesh terrestrially.[4] [5]

History

Original plans and relay station (1968–1996)

Originally, before the independence of Bangladesh and after the inauguration of the second television station of Pakistan Television in Dacca on 25 December 1964, there were initial plans to establish a television station in Chittagong. The station would have operated on VHF channel 5 using an ERP of 30 kilowatts and went on the air by December 1968, the same time as the proposed station in Peshawar.[6] A while after independence and prior to the establishment of the full-fledged BTV Chittagong television station, a relay station of BTV Dhaka was inaugurated in Chittagong in June 1976, broadcasting on VHF channel 5 using a 10 kilowatt transmitter, although its ERP was 80 kilowatts.[7]

Initial broadcasts (1996–2016)

On 19 December 1996, Sheikh Hasina, former prime minister of Bangladesh, inaugurated the first regional television station of Bangladesh Television in Chittagong, with financial and technical support from the Government of France.[8] It only broadcast for one and a half hour at the time, within a 40 km limit via terrestrial television.[9] BTV Chittagong was operated via a syndicate, and had acquired programs, which were subsequently broadcast on the station. It was also reported that the same artists have constantly been shown on the station.[10] Celebrities have urged the station's authorities to increase its daily schedule to properly showcase the culture, heritage, and the history of the Chittagong region.[11] The authorities of BTV Chittagong was also accused of mismanagement, leading the station to be in disarray.[12] The station's broadcast timing was later extended to two hours a day, and later to three hours.[9] [13]

In January 2009, BTV Chittagong filed a general diary against Ekushey Television for illegally using terrestrial signals for broadcasting in Chittagong, even after the government of Bangladesh ruled that only Bangladesh Television-affiliated stations can broadcast on terrestrial television in Bangladesh. Local police in the city later shut the terrestrial broadcasts on 6 January.[14] Discussions for increasing BTV Chittagong's broadcast schedule took place in 2013, as an objective for the station to broadcast for twenty-four hours.[15] For this, a project costing BDT 440 million had to be initiated.[13]

Satellite era

On 28 September 2016, BTV Chittagong began experimental broadcasts via satellite television on a four-hour basis.[9] It was later extended to six hours on 31 December 2016. This transmission was also broadcast to 60 countries worldwide. BTV Chittagong also debuted on cable television.[16] On 13 April 2019, BTV Chittagong began broadcasting for nine hours on a daily basis, and also commenced transmissions via the Bangabandhu-1 satellite on 1 July 2019.[17] [18] Its broadcast time was later extended to twelve hours in December 2019.[4]

In September 2020, a 133.5m (438feet) tall tower of BTV Chittagong was built. Twelve satellite and cable channels and two terrestrial channels can be operated using the tower, and on 3 September, the transmissions of BTV Chittagong, BTV Dhaka, Sangsad Television, and BTV World were commenced using the tower.[19] On 19 December 2020, BTV Chittagong began airing English-language news programming.[18]

On 10 January 2021, BTV Chittagong commenced transmissions for eighteen hours, which is identical to the broadcast timing of BTV Dhaka.[18] [20] In May 2021, BTV Chittagong was made available for streaming worldwide in the newly launched BTV app.[21] On 17 June 2021, BTV Chittagong broadcast its first national debate.[22] On 7 August 2021, the station broadcast live from its studios for the first time.[23] On 19 December 2021, on its 25th anniversary, the station began broadcasting on a full day basis.[24] [19] [25]

On 29 January 2022, BTV Chittagong's former controller and program manager, Mahfuza Akhter, was appointed as BTV Chittagong's new general manager, replacing Nitai Kumar Bhattacharya.[26] [27] On the same day, a Bangabandhu Corner dedicated to the founding father of Bangladesh, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was inaugurated at the headquarters of BTV Chittagong.[28] In observance of Eid al-Fitr 2022, the station broadcast the self-produced Anandamela.[29] In May 2022, the Government of Bangladesh ordered the broadcast of BTV Chittagong, along with its sisters, in airports across the country.[30] On 12 January 2023, Mahfuza Akhter resigned from her position and is succeeded by Nur Anwar Hossain Ranju.[31]

Programming

See main article: List of programmes broadcast by Bangladesh Television. BTV Chittagong broadcasts local programming, and also programming dedicated to the indigenous peoples of the Chittagong Hill Tracts.[32] Its programming line primarily consists of news, music, entertainment, and talk shows. It also plays an important role in promoting the culture of the Chittagong region and developing its tourism sector.[19] [33]

Broadcast time changes

YearTimings
1996One and half hour
September 2016Four hours
December 2016Six hours
April 2019Nine hours
December 2019Twelve hours
January 2021Eighteen hours
December 2021Twenty-four hours

Notes and References

  1. News: https://sharebiz.net/%E0%A6%9F%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%9F%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B2-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%BE/. bn:টেরেস্ট্রিয়াল সম্প্রচারের প্রকল্পে ধীরগতি. Sharebiz. 9 November 2019. 3 July 2021. bn.
  2. News: https://www.banglanews24.com/daily-chittagong/news/bd/464138.details. bn:সিটিভি ৬ ঘণ্টা সম্প্রচারে যাক চায় না দালাল সিন্ডিকেট. 9 February 2016. 13 June 2022. BanglaNews24. bn.
  3. Web site: BTV Chittagong: Case for local TVs. The Financial Express. Shihab Sarkar. 5 January 2017. 3 July 2021.
  4. News: Information minister: Chittagong BTV to be 2nd independent national television. https://web.archive.org/web/20190414220443/https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/nation/2019/04/13/information-minister-chittagong-btv-to-be-2nd-independent-national-television. 14 April 2019. dead. Dhaka Tribune. 13 April 2019. 25 July 2021.
  5. News: https://www.banglanews24.com/entertainment/news/bd/901582.details. bn:৫৮তম বর্ষে এইচডি সম্প্রচারে বিটিভি. 25 December 2021. 18 July 2022. Banglanews24.com. bn.
  6. Web site: Television Factbook . 1968-69. 16 May 2024. 947.
  7. Web site: Television Factbook . 1981-82. 10 May 2024. 1189.
  8. News: https://www.prothomalo.com/amp/story/bangladesh/%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AD%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B6%E0%A6%95-%E0%A6%86%E0%A7%9F-%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%9B%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%8B%E0%A6%A3-%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%9A%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B2-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A7%9C%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%9A%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%9B%E0%A7%87. bn:বিটিভির দর্শক, আয় কমছে, ঋণ করে চ্যানেল বাড়াচ্ছে. 6 February 2016. 23 July 2022. Prothom Alo. bn.
  9. News: BTV Ctg centre starts test transmission. 28 September 2016. 9 June 2022. The Daily Star.
  10. News: https://www.banglanews24.com/dailychittagong/news/bd/464952.details. bn:বিটিভি’র চট্টগ্রাম কেন্দ্রের কষ্টের কথা শুনলেন তথ্যমন্ত্রী. 12 February 2016. 13 June 2022. BanglaNews24. bn.
  11. News: The week that was. 30 September 2009. 20 July 2022. The Daily Star.
  12. News: Abdullah Al Mahmud. Ctg BTV centre in disarray. 17 July 2008. 20 July 2022. The Daily Star.
  13. News: https://www.kalerkantho.com/amp/online/business/2020/01/25/866735. bn:১২ ঘণ্টা সম্প্রচারে যাচ্ছে বিটিভি চট্টগ্রাম কেন্দ্র. 25 January 2020. 11 June 2022. Kaler Kantho. bn.
  14. News: ETV caught transmitting terrestrial signals. 7 January 2009. 15 July 2022. Bdnews24.com.
  15. News: Ctg BTV to be independent. 7 February 2013. 21 December 2021. The Daily Star.
  16. News: https://www.jagonews24.com/m/mass-media/news/412339. bn:অনুমোদিত বেসরকারি টিভি চ্যানেল ৪৪টি. 27 February 2018. 7 June 2022. Jago News 24. bn.
  17. News: ২৫ বছরে বিটিভি চট্টগ্রাম কেন্দ্র. 19 December 2020. 21 December 2021. Banglanews24.com.
  18. News: https://dainikazadi.net/%e0%a7%a7%e0%a7%ae-%e0%a6%98%e0%a6%a3%e0%a7%8d%e0%a6%9f%e0%a6%be-%e0%a6%b8%e0%a6%ae%e0%a7%8d%e0%a6%aa%e0%a7%8d%e0%a6%b0%e0%a6%9a%e0%a6%be%e0%a6%b0%e0%a7%87-%e0%a6%ac%e0%a6%bf%e0%a6%9f%e0%a6%bf/. bn:১৮ ঘণ্টা সম্প্রচারে বিটিভি চট্টগ্রাম কেন্দ্র. 11 January 2021. 13 June 2022. Dainik Azadi. bn.
  19. News: https://dainikazadi.net/%E0%A7%A8%E0%A7%AA-%E0%A6%98%E0%A6%A3%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%9A%E0%A7%8D/. bn:২৪ ঘণ্টা সম্প্রচারে যাচ্ছে বিটিভি চট্টগ্রাম কেন্দ্র. 14 December 2021. 21 July 2022. Dainik Azadi. bn.
  20. News: https://www.banglanews24.com/daily-chittagong/news/bd/900332.details. bn:রজতজয়ন্তীতে বিটিভি চট্টগ্রাম কেন্দ্রের ২৪ ঘণ্টা সম্প্রচার চালু. 19 December 2021. 11 June 2022. BanglaNews24. bn.
  21. News: BTV app launched. 12 May 2021. 9 November 2021. Dhaka Tribune.
  22. News: https://dainikazadi.net/%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AD%E0%A6%BF-%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%9F%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%97%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AE-%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%8D-17/. bn:বিটিভি চট্টগ্রাম কেন্দ্রে প্রথম জাতীয় বিতর্ক প্রতিযোগিতা. 17 June 2021. 13 June 2022. Dainik Azadi. bn.
  23. News: https://samakal.com/todays-print-edition/tp-priyo-chittagong/article/2108113555/%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BF-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AF%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%97%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AD%E0%A6%BF-%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%9F%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%97%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AE-%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0. bn:সরাসরি সম্প্রচারের যুগে বিটিভি চট্টগ্রাম কেন্দ্র. 8 August 2021. 10 June 2022. Samakal. bn.
  24. News: bn:বিটিভির চট্টগ্রাম কেন্দ্রের ২৪ ঘণ্টা সম্প্রচার শুরু. https://www.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/district/%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AD%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%9F%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%97%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AE-%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A7%A8%E0%A7%AA-%E0%A6%98%E0%A6%A3%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%B6%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%81. 20 December 2021. 20 July 2022. Prothom Alo. bn.
  25. News: BTV Ctg launches 24/7 streaming . The Daily Observer . 20 December 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211221123257/https://www.observerbd.com/news.php?id=344993 . 21 December 2021 .
  26. News: https://dainikazadi.net/%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B9%E0%A6%AB%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%9C%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AD%E0%A6%BF-%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%9F/. bn:মাহফুজা আক্তার বিটিভি চট্টগ্রাম কেন্দ্রের নতুন জেনারেল ম্যানেজার. 29 January 2022. 13 June 2022. Dainik Azadi. bn.
  27. News: https://www.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/district/%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AD%E0%A6%BF-%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%9F%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%97%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AE-%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A7%A8%E0%A7%AB-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%9B%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AA%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%B2. bn:বিটিভি চট্টগ্রাম কেন্দ্রের রজতজয়ন্তীর নানা আয়োজন. 15 December 2021. 10 June 2022. Prothom Alo. bn.
  28. News: https://bangla.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2022/01/29/1643463163212. bn:তথ্যমন্ত্রী: বিটিভির অধীনে হবে আরও একটি চ্যানেল. 29 January 2022. 12 July 2022. Dhaka Tribune. bn.
  29. News: https://www.jugantor.com/todays-paper/anando-nagar/545411/%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AD%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%9F%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%97%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AE-%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%93-%E0%A6%A4%E0%A7%88%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BF-%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%9B%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE. bn:বিটিভির চট্টগ্রাম কেন্দ্রও তৈরি করেছে আনন্দমেলা. 26 April 2022. 13 June 2022. Jugantor. bn.
  30. News: bn:দেশের সব বিমানবন্দরে বিটিভি দেখানোর নির্দেশ . https://samakal.com/bangladesh/article/2205111371/%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B6%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%AC-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AD%E0%A6%BF-%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%96%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8B%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B6 . 15 May 2022. 20 May 2022. Samakal. bn.
  31. News: Rauf. Rashed. https://dainikazadi.net/%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%82%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B6-%E0%A6%9F%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AD%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B6%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%9F%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%97%E0%A7%8D/. bn:বাংলাদেশ টেলিভিশন চট্টগ্রাম কেন্দ্র: বিশিষ্টজনদের অংশগ্রহণ বাড়ুক. 6 June 2023. 11 June 2023. Dainik Azadi. bn.
  32. News: BTV Ctg centre starts six-hour transmission. 1 January 2017. 21 December 2021. The Daily Star.
  33. News: BTV Chattogram Centre starts airing 24-hour programme . The Financial Express . Dec 20, 2021 . en.