Diganta Television

Defunct Bangladeshi television channel

Television channel
Diganta Television
CountryBangladesh
Broadcast areaNationwide
HeadquartersSyed Nazrul Islam Sharoni, Purana Paltan, Dhaka[1]
Programming
Language(s)Bengali
Ownership
OwnerDiganta Media Corporation
History
Launched28 August 2008; 15 years ago (2008-08-28)
Closed6 May 2013; 11 years ago (2013-05-06)
Links
Websitewww.digantatv.online

Diganta Television (Bengali: দিগন্ত টেলিভিশন; lit. 'horizon television')[2] was a Bangladeshi Bengali-language privately owned satellite and cable news television channel founded in 2007.[3] The channel was owned Diganta Media Corporation, which also owns the daily newspaper Daily Naya Diganta. Diganta Television officially began broadcasting on 28 August 2008,[4] and was shut down along with Islamic TV on 6 May 2013, both of which were assumed to be supporting the Jamaat-e-Islami political party, and as a result faced boycotts during the 2013 Shahbag protests.[5][6]

History

Closure

During the 2013 Shapla Square protests, as the channels were reporting on police action following the rally of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh,[7] the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission forced Diganta Television off the air, along with Islamic TV, on 6 May 2013, at about 4:30 am.[8] The chief reporter of the channel, M. Kamruzzaman, said that around 25 plain-clothed policemen and an official from the broadcast commission had entered their studios without warning at dawn.[9] According to Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu, it was taken off the air as its reporting on the raid on Hefazat contained "irresponsible exaggerations and misinformation to inflame public opinion, a violation of the conditions of its license."[10][11] Critics have alleged this an instance of the Sheikh Hasina government of using the Islamist issue to silence dissidents.[10]

Although the channels were shut down, their licenses have not been revoked. Former Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasanul Haq Inu stated that no fixed decision was made regarding the licenses of Diganta Television and Islamic TV, calling both of them "riot instigators" while stating the reason behind the ban, which was incitement against the government.[12][13][14]

Tentative return to broadcasting

Following Sheikh Hasina's resignation on 5 August 2024 caused by the anti-government protests in Bangladesh, all the former staff members went to the headquarters of Diganta Television for the first time since its closure the following day.[15] Discussions to resume broadcasts of the channel took place there.[16] Dhaka Reporters Unity demanded immediate reinstation of all unjustly closed media outlets in Bangladesh, including Diganta Television.[17] The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting later withdrew the closure order of Diganta Television and allowed the channel to return to the air once again.[18][19] Ziaul Kabir Sumon, the chief news editor, stated that after getting a Bangabandhu-1 frequency after applying to the BTRC, Diganta would officially go on the air after over a decade of absence.[20]

Programming

Diganta Television mostly aired news programming for sixteen hours per day. Other than that, other types of programming were aired on the channel.[21]

List of programming

  • Business News[3]
  • Carrier Line[3]
  • Chitra Bichitra[3]
  • Diganta Onusandhan[3]
  • Duronto Khobor[3]
  • Ekanto Songlap[3]
  • Get Safe[3]
  • i-Tech[3]
  • Jibon Japon[3]
  • Lime Light[3]
  • Mele Dhori Ichcheguli[3]
  • News of the Day[3]
  • Pothe Prantore[3]
  • Probashe Bangladesh[3]
  • Ranna Banna[3]
  • School Angina[3]
  • Science & Quran[3]
  • Score Card[3]
  • Shastho Diganta[3]
  • Shorol Poth[3]
  • Suborno Shokal[3]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Contact". Diganta Television. Archived from the original on 24 April 2013. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  2. ^ Biswas, Sailendra (2000). "Samsad Bengali-English dictionary. 3rd ed". Calcutta: Sahitya Samsad. p. 969.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v "Diganta Television". Archived from the original on 8 August 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  4. ^ "A Short Report on Diganta Television". Diganta Television. Archived from the original on 10 July 2011.
  5. ^ "Diganta, Islamic TV go off the air". The Daily Star. 6 May 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  6. ^ "Artistes call to boycott Diganta TV". BDNews24. 18 February 2022. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  7. ^ "Free speech under fire in Bangladesh". 17 April 2015. Archived from the original on 10 February 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
  8. ^ "Diganta, Islamic TV taken off air". bdnews24.com. 6 May 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
  9. ^ "At least 32 dead as Bangladesh Islamists demand blasphemy law". DAWN. Agence France-Presse. 6 May 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
  10. ^ a b Salam, Maria; Karim, Mohosinul; Islam, Muhammad Zahidul (6 May 2013). "Govt closes 2 TV networks". Dhaka Tribune. Archived from the original on 23 March 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
  11. ^ "Diganta, Islamic TV off air". The Daily Star. 7 May 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
  12. ^ দিগন্ত-ইসলামিক টিভির লাইসেন্স বাতিলের সিদ্ধান্ত হয়নি. Banglanews24.com (in Bengali). 11 January 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  13. ^ দিগন্ত ও ইসলামিক টিভির লাইসেন্স বাতিলে চূড়ান্ত সিদ্ধান্ত হয়নি. Jugantor (in Bengali). 12 January 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  14. ^ দিগন্ত ও ইসলামিক টিভির লাইসেন্স বাতিলের সিদ্ধান্ত চূড়ান্ত হয়নি. Kaler Kantho (in Bengali). 11 January 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  15. ^ ১১ বছর পর দিগন্ত টিভির সম্প্রচারের স্থগিতাদেশ প্রত্যাহার. Jugantor (in Bengali). 8 August 2024. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  16. ^ দিগন্ত টিভিতে সাংবাদিকরা. Kalbela (in Bengali). 6 August 2024. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
  17. ^ "DRU calls for immediate reopening of unjustly closed media outlets". Dhaka Tribune. 8 August 2024. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  18. ^ "No bar on Diganta TV's broadcast". Jago News 24. 8 August 2024. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  19. ^ "Ban on Diganta TV lifted after 11 years". The Business Standard. 8 August 2024. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  20. ^ "ক্ষমতার পালাবদলে ফিরছে সেই দিগন্ত টিভি". BDNews24 (in Bengali). 8 August 2024. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  21. ^ "Diganta News". Diganta Television. Archived from the original on 10 July 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
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