BanglaVision
A Bangladeshi Bengali-language satellite and cable television channel.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
BanglaVision is a Bangladeshi Bengali-language television channel owned by Shamol Bangla Media Limited. It operates as a satellite and cable broadcaster from Dhaka and has also received authorization to distribute its programming internationally. The channel’s name combines “Bangla,” referring to the Bengali language and cultural sphere, with “television.” Its stated editorial and cultural purpose at launch was to present Bengali culture and Bangladesh to viewers through a broad mixture of entertainment, news, music, drama, magazine programming and other television formats. The channel’s regulatory process began with an application for a broadcasting license submitted on 30 May 2004. The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission granted the license on 31 January 2005, the same day that Boishakhi Television and Channel 1 received licenses. BanglaVision conducted test transmissions from 18:00 Bangladesh Standard Time on 25 December 2005 and formally began regular broadcasting on 31 March 2006. Its original launch slogan was “Drishti Jure Desh,” commonly rendered as “Country across the vision.” BanglaVision initially used the Telstar 10 satellite for distribution, later moved to Apstar-7, and subsequently became available through the Bangabandhu-1 satellite. Alongside satellite transmission, the channel has relied on Bangladesh’s cable television infrastructure, giving it a domestic reach across urban and regional viewing markets. Its international authorization and satellite distribution have also allowed it to target Bengali-speaking viewers outside Bangladesh, although the available reference material does not specify a complete list of foreign territories or audience figures. Programming has included locally produced news and talk shows, Bengali drama and telefilms, music, magazine programs, cooking content and imported serialized drama. The magazine program “Lal Golap,” hosted by Shafik Rehman, moved from Bangladesh Television to BanglaVision in 2010. After leaving the schedule in April 2016, it returned to the channel in December 2024. The telefilm strand “Kache Ashar Golpo” began airing on 14 February 2014. BanglaVision also participated in Ramadan-season commercial programming, including the cooking series “Pran Premium Ghee Star Cook” in July 2014, and joined other Bangladeshi broadcasters in a 2016 agreement to subscribe to Prism, a video-based news service operated by children through Bdnews24.com. The channel has also been associated with politically sensitive broadcasting issues. Its talk-show presenter Kazi Jesin received death threats in 2009 in connection with accusations directed at the program “Point of Order.” The program later disappeared from the schedule during the early 2010s amid reported pressure from the Awami League-led government and returned in June 2025. In 2010, the government urged the channel not to air a documentary series about a hangman, citing concern that it could frighten children. In March 2012, cable operators in many parts of Bangladesh temporarily blacked out BanglaVision and Ekushey Television after coverage of a BNP rally. These episodes illustrate the regulatory, political and distribution pressures affecting Bangladeshi television broadcasters. BanglaVision remains an active television brand with a mixed schedule aimed primarily at Bengali-speaking audiences. Recent programming developments include the revival of established local formats, the return of “Point of Order,” and the September 2025 premiere of the Turkish historical drama “Payitaht: Abdülhamid,” localized as “Sultan Abdulhamid.”
History
BanglaVision is a Bengali-language satellite and cable television channel based in Dhaka and owned by Shamol Bangla Media Limited. The brand was created during a period of expansion in Bangladesh’s private television sector. It applied for a broadcasting license on 30 May 2004, and the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission approved the application on 31 January 2005. Boishakhi Television and Channel 1 received licenses on the same day. BanglaVision also obtained approval for international broadcasting, establishing a basis for reaching Bengali-speaking viewers beyond Bangladesh. The channel began test transmissions at 18:00 Bangladesh Standard Time on 25 December 2005. Regular broadcasting started on 31 March 2006 under the slogan “Drishti Jure Desh,” a phrase expressing the channel’s ambition to place the country and Bengali culture within viewers’ field of vision. BanglaVision’s early identity was therefore built around a general-interest schedule rather than a single genre. Its output included news, current affairs, drama, music, magazine shows and other entertainment formats. For satellite distribution, BanglaVision first used Telstar 10. It later moved to Apstar-7 and subsequently began broadcasting through the Bangabandhu-1 satellite. Domestic cable distribution complemented satellite transmission and helped the channel reach viewers across Bangladesh. The available reference material does not provide subscriber totals, ratings, revenue figures or a definitive list of international markets. BanglaVision developed a schedule that mixed original productions with acquired and sponsored programming. In 2010, the magazine program Lal Golap, presented by Shafik Rehman, moved from Bangladesh Television to BanglaVision. The show later left the channel’s schedule on 16 April 2016 and returned on 1 December 2024. The channel introduced the Kache Ashar Golpo telefilm strand on 14 February 2014. During Ramadan in July 2014, it was one of eight Bangladeshi channels carrying the cooking series Pran Premium Ghee Star Cook. In May 2016, BanglaVision joined eight other Bangladeshi channels in an agreement with Bdnews24.com to subscribe to Prism, a video-based news agency run by children. The broadcaster’s history also reflects the pressures faced by television outlets operating in a politically and socially contested media environment. On 29 June 2009, Kazi Jesin, presenter of Point of Order, received death threats in a leaflet sent to her home. The message accused the program of anti-Islamic themes, and Jesin reported the matter to police. In December 2010, government officials urged BanglaVision not to air a three-part documentary about a hangman because it might frighten children. On 12 March 2012, cable operators in many parts of Bangladesh imposed a temporary blackout on BanglaVision and Ekushey Television after the stations reported extensively on a BNP rally. In November 2015, the information ministry questioned BanglaVision and other channels about smoking scenes in television serials. Point of Order reportedly went off the air in the early 2010s under pressure from the Awami League-led government. It returned to BanglaVision in June 2025, nearly fifteen years after its earlier disappearance. Other recent developments include the geo-blocking of BanglaVision’s YouTube channels in India on 9 May 2025, reportedly on national-security grounds during the 2025 India–Pakistan conflict, and the premiere of the Turkish historical drama Payitaht: Abdülhamid, localized as Sultan Abdulhamid, on 1 September 2025. These developments show the channel continuing to combine revived domestic formats with acquired international drama while operating within changing regulatory and distribution conditions.
- 2025
Point of Order revived
[1]Kazi Jesin’s Point of Order resumed on BanglaVision in June 2025.
- 2025
Sultan Abdulhamid premieres
[1]The channel premiered its localized presentation of Payitaht: Abdülhamid on 1 September 2025.
- 2024
Lal Golap returns
[1]Lal Golap returned to the channel on 1 December 2024 after an absence of more than eight years.
- 2016
Prism subscription agreement
[1]BanglaVision joined other Bangladeshi channels in subscribing to Prism, a child-produced video news service operated through Bdnews24.com.
- 2014
Kache Ashar Golpo begins
[1]BanglaVision began airing the Kache Ashar Golpo telefilm strand on 14 February 2014.
- 2010
Lal Golap moves to BanglaVision
[1]The magazine program hosted by Shafik Rehman premiered on BanglaVision after moving from Bangladesh Television.
- 2006
Official launch
[1]BanglaVision started regular broadcasting on 31 March 2006 with the slogan Drishti Jure Desh.
- 2005
Broadcasting license granted
[1]The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission granted BanglaVision a license on 31 January 2005.
- 2005
Test transmissions begin
[1]The channel began test transmissions on 25 December 2005 at 18:00 Bangladesh Standard Time.
- 2004
Broadcasting license application submitted
[1]BanglaVision applied for a broadcasting license on 30 May 2004.
Products and positioning
A general-interest Bengali television broadcaster combining news, public-affairs programming, locally produced entertainment and selected international content, with an emphasis on Bengali culture and audiences in Bangladesh.
Broadcast television · 2006
General-interest television channel
BanglaVision’s core offering is a Bengali-language satellite and cable television service. Its schedule spans news, current affairs, drama, telefilms, music, magazine programming, lifestyle content and acquired series. The channel is distributed domestically through Bangladesh’s cable networks and by satellite, with authorization for international broadcasting.
Magazine show · 2010
Lal Golap
Lal Golap is a magazine program associated with presenter Shafik Rehman. It moved from Bangladesh Television to BanglaVision in 2010, later left the schedule in April 2016, and returned to the channel in December 2024.
Talk show and current affairs
Point of Order
Point of Order is a politically oriented talk and current-affairs program presented by Kazi Jesin. It became associated with a 2009 death-threat incident involving its presenter, later went off air during the early 2010s, and returned to BanglaVision in June 2025.
Telefilm strand · 2014
Kache Ashar Golpo
Kache Ashar Golpo is a BanglaVision telefilm programming strand that began airing on 14 February 2014. The available reference material identifies the launch date but does not provide a complete list of individual productions.
Imported historical drama · 2025
Sultan Abdulhamid
Sultan Abdulhamid is BanglaVision’s localized presentation of the Turkish historical drama Payitaht: Abdülhamid. The series premiered on the channel on 1 September 2025.
Controversies
2015
Ministry inquiry concerning smoking scenes
In November 2015, the information ministry questioned BanglaVision and other channels about smoking scenes appearing in television serials.
2012
Temporary cable blackout
Cable operators in many Bangladeshi areas temporarily stopped carrying BanglaVision after it reported in detail on a BNP rally. Ekushey Television was affected at the same time.
2010
Pressure over hangman documentary
In December 2010, the government urged BanglaVision not to broadcast a three-part documentary about a hangman, citing concern that it could frighten children.
2009
Death threats against Point of Order presenter
Kazi Jesin received death threats in a leaflet sent to her home on 29 June 2009. The threats accused Point of Order of anti-Islamic themes, and Jesin filed a general diary at Mohammadpur police station.
Brand decisions
2025
Revive Point of OrderProduct launchBackground
The Kazi Jesin-hosted program had been absent since the early 2010s.
Action taken
BanglaVision brought Point of Order back to its schedule in June 2025.
Aftermath
The revival restored a politically focused talk-show format to the channel’s programming mix.
2025
Introduce Sultan AbdulhamidProduct launchBackground
BanglaVision supplemented locally produced programming with an international historical drama.
Action taken
The channel premiered the localized version of Payitaht: Abdülhamid under the title Sultan Abdulhamid on 1 September 2025.
Aftermath
The launch expanded the schedule’s imported drama offering.
2010
Add Lal Golap to the scheduleStrategyBackground
The magazine show had previously been broadcast by Bangladesh Television.
Action taken
BanglaVision premiered Lal Golap with Shafik Rehman as host.
Aftermath
The program later left the schedule in 2016 and returned in December 2024.
2006
Launch a Bengali general-interest television serviceProduct launchBackground
BanglaVision entered Bangladesh’s expanding private television market after receiving a regulatory license and conducting test transmissions.
Action taken
The channel began regular broadcasting on 31 March 2006 with a schedule centered on Bengali culture, news and entertainment.
Aftermath
BanglaVision developed as a satellite and cable broadcaster with international distribution approval.
Recent events
- 2025
BanglaVision YouTube channels geo-blocked in India[1]
Regulation · Other
BanglaVision was among Bangladeshi channels whose YouTube channels were geo-blocked in India on 9 May 2025, with national-security concerns cited in the context of the India–Pakistan conflict.
- 2025
Point of Order returns to BanglaVision[1]
Product launch · Other
Kazi Jesin’s current-affairs program Point of Order resumed on BanglaVision in June 2025 after an absence dating to the early 2010s.
- 2025
BanglaVision premieres Sultan Abdulhamid[1]
Product launch
The channel premiered the localized Bengali presentation of the Turkish historical drama Payitaht: Abdülhamid under the title Sultan Abdulhamid on 1 September 2025.
- 2024
Lal Golap returns to BanglaVision[1]
Product generation
The magazine show hosted by Shafik Rehman returned to BanglaVision on 1 December 2024 after having been absent since April 2016.
- 2006
BanglaVision begins regular broadcasting[1]
Product launch
BanglaVision officially commenced broadcasting on 31 March 2006 after a period of test transmissions.
Sources2 sources
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