Bangla TV

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Bangla TV

Launched	1999
Slogan	Apnar bhashay kotha bole (Speaks your language)
Country	United Kingdom
Headquarters	London
Website	www.banglatv.co.uk
Availability
Satellite
Sky Digital	Channel 786
Eurobird 1	28.5°E 11,344 H SR 27500 FEC 2/3^[1]

Bangla TV is a UK-based satellite television channel targeting the Bangladeshi community in the United Kingdom & Europe.

1 History
2 Rivalry
3 First Solution Money Transfer scandal
4 Popular programmes
5 References
6 See also
7 External links

[edit] History

Launched in 1999, Bangla TV was the first Bengali language television channel in the UK. It operated as a subscription-only channel until 2005, following the arrival of Channel S, a rival channel providing a free-to-air service targeting its programming specifically for the large expatriate Sylheti community in the UK. 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.

[edit] Rivalry

Since the arrival of Channel S, there has been bitter rivalry between the two channels. Bangla TV had previously been the monopoly provider and as a result had broadcast many UK community based events such as the Baishakhi Mela and the Bangladesh Film Awards.

With the arrival of Channel S, bearing the slogan "Working for the community", most of the community events struck deals with Channel S who provided the sponsorship and became the most viewed Bengali language channel outside of Bangladesh, relegating Bangla TV to second place.

[edit] First Solution Money Transfer scandal

In 2007, First Solution Money Transfer, a company run by the managing director of Channel S went into liquidation owning the public hundreds of thousands of pounds. Bangla TV exploited the frustration and anger of the public and took the opportunity to broadcast the publics views. It vilified the directors of the failed company and extraordinarily revealed personal details including addresses and vehicle registration details.

In a press statement displayed on the company's website, the directors stated that Bangla TV had been "irresponsible" in showing angry public opinion calling for the directors and their families to be "pursued" and not to rest until they were shown "naked in the street". The directors have also stated that Bangla TV had caused panic among the community by falsely stating that the company had gone bankrupt when it hadn't on 25 June 2007. As a direct result of these misrepresentations by Bangla TV, the company had no choice but to call in liquidators as the investment and cash-injection it was seeking at the time had fallen through.^[2]

Channel S chairman, Mahee Ferdaus Jalil, has filed defamation cases against a number of people which were shown on Bangla TV making allegations against him personally. Additionally, Channel S has filed an injunction against Bangla TV to prevent further allegations of impropriety by Channel S or its Chairman from being broadcast.^[3]