Ekattor TV

Ekattor TV is a Bangladeshi Bengali-language news television channel owned by Meghna Group of Industries. Its name, Ekattor, means seventy-one and refers to the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, a central reference point in the country’s national history and public discourse. The channel operates as a news-oriented broadcaster, distributing television programming through satellite and cable networks and extending its reach through web and social-media video platforms. The channel received a broadcasting license from the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission on 20 October 2009, during a period when several privately owned television channels were being licensed in Bangladesh. It formally began transmissions on 21 June 2012 under the leadership of founder chairman Fazlul Haque Khan. At launch, it was described as the fourth news-oriented television channel in Bangladesh and as the country’s first news-focused channel to broadcast in full high definition. Its launch slogan, “Sangbad Noy Songjog,” translates approximately as “Connection, not news,” presenting the station as a bridge between events, institutions, and viewers rather than only as a bulletin service. Ekattor’s editorial and programming scope includes breaking news, political reporting, public-affairs discussion, national and international developments, sports, social issues, and explanatory or interview-led formats. Programs associated with the channel include Ekattor Journal, Bishajog, Deshjog, Khelajog, and Songbad Songjog. Ekattor Journal received a best-talk-show award, while the channel itself was recognized as the best news channel for 2013 by the Bangladesh Cable Television Viewers Forum in May 2014. The station broadcasts from Baridhara in Dhaka. It began using Bangladesh’s Bangabandhu-1 communications satellite in December 2018, an important distribution milestone for domestic television services. The channel has also participated in media and public-interest initiatives, including a 2016 agreement with Bdnews24.com to subscribe to Prism, a video news agency run by children, and a 2017 agreement with UNICEF to air one-minute children’s programming segments. Ekattor has operated in a politically sensitive and highly competitive media environment. Its reporting and talk-show output have attracted criticism from political and religious figures, including boycott calls and allegations of anti-Islamic or politically biased coverage. Editors Guild Bangladesh condemned one boycott appeal in 2020, while the Bangladesh Nationalist Party declined to participate in the channel’s talk shows in 2023, alleging bias. A 2023 listing by the fact-checking organization Rumor Scanner placed Ekattor among Bangladesh’s largest publishers of allegedly false news, a characterization that forms part of the channel’s public controversy rather than an independently established finding here. The broadcaster was also affected by political unrest. During the protests that culminated in Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation on 5 August 2024, Ekattor’s headquarters were attacked and vandalized, and broadcasting equipment was reportedly looted. The station temporarily stopped transmissions along with several other Bangladeshi television channels. Former Ekattor news executives Shakil Ahmed and Farzana Rupa were arrested on 21 August 2024 in connection with allegations relating to the death of a garment worker during the unrest; Human Rights Watch expressed concern about the arrests. The channel’s YouTube channels were geo-blocked in India on 9 May 2025 during the India–Pakistan conflict, with national-security concerns cited in reporting. The available reference material also records a March 2026 International Crimes Tribunal charge involving former or serving Ekattor personnel and a disputed report about the 2013 Shapla Square protests; because that event is dated after the present reference context, it should be independently reviewed before being treated as settled corporate history.

Ekattor TV emerged from Bangladesh’s expansion of privately owned television broadcasting in the late 2000s and early 2010s. The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission granted the channel a broadcasting license on 20 October 2009, alongside licenses for several other private television services. The station was established under the leadership of Fazlul Haque Khan and formally commenced transmissions on 21 June 2012. Its name, Ekattor, references 1971, the year of Bangladesh’s Liberation War, while its launch slogan, “Sangbad Noy Songjog,” framed the service as a means of connection rather than simply a source of news. At launch, Ekattor was identified as Bangladesh’s fourth news-oriented television channel and as the country’s first news-focused broadcaster to operate in full high definition. It built its identity around Bengali-language news, live reporting, political coverage, interviews, talk shows, sports, and public-affairs programming. The station’s headquarters are in the Baridhara area of Dhaka. Programs associated with the channel include Ekattor Journal, Bishajog, Deshjog, Khelajog, and Songbad Songjog. These formats reflect a blend of rolling news, national and international reporting, discussion, and issue-based programming. The broadcaster received early industry recognition for its news operation. In May 2014, the Bangladesh Cable Television Viewers Forum named Ekattor the best news channel for 2013. Ekattor Journal was separately recognized as the best talk show. The channel also participated in collaborative media and public-interest projects. In May 2016, it joined eight other Bangladeshi television channels in an agreement with Bdnews24.com to subscribe to Prism, a video news agency operated by children. In July 2017, Ekattor and four other Bangladeshi television channels signed an agreement with UNICEF to broadcast one-minute children’s programming segments. Distribution technology became another important part of the channel’s development. In December 2018, Ekattor began broadcasting through Bangabandhu-1, Bangladesh’s communications satellite. It continued to combine traditional television distribution with online video and social-media publishing, allowing its news output to reach audiences beyond cable and satellite households. Ekattor has operated amid intense political competition and scrutiny over media impartiality in Bangladesh. In 2017, its website was hacked and replaced with a message accusing the outlet of anti-Islamic activity. In 2020, Nurul Haq Nur called for a boycott of the channel, a move condemned by Editors Guild Bangladesh. Islamic scholars, including Mizanur Rahman Azhari, also called for boycotts while alleging that Ekattor broadcast anti-Islamic content. In 2023, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party declined to participate in the channel’s talk shows, alleging political bias. The same year, the fact-checking organization Rumor Scanner listed Ekattor as the fifth-largest publisher of fake news in Bangladesh. These allegations and classifications should be distinguished from verified findings about individual reports. The channel was directly affected by the political crisis of August 2024. During anti-government protests that culminated in Sheikh Hasina’s resignation on 5 August, Ekattor’s headquarters were attacked and vandalized. Broadcasting equipment was reportedly taken, and the channel temporarily stopped transmissions together with several other television stations. On 21 August 2024, former head of news Shakil Ahmed and former principal correspondent Farzana Rupa were arrested at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport while preparing to travel to Paris. The allegations related to the death of a garment worker who died during a demonstration in Uttara on 5 August. Human Rights Watch expressed concern about the arrests. The reference material also records a 9 May 2025 geo-blocking of Ekattor’s YouTube channels in India during the India–Pakistan conflict, with national-security concerns cited as the reason. It further reports a March 2026 International Crimes Tribunal charge involving Farzana Rupa and managing director Mozammel Haque Babu over a disputed report concerning the 2013 Shapla Square protests. Because that item is future-dated relative to the principal historical record, it requires verification before being incorporated as settled history. Ekattor remains an active Bangladeshi news brand whose identity is shaped by Bengali-language journalism, political debate, satellite and cable distribution, and an increasingly important digital presence.

• 2024

  Temporary transmission suspension after unrest

  [1]Ekattor TVen.wikipedia.org

  Attacks on the Dhaka headquarters and the loss of broadcasting equipment led to a temporary halt in transmissions.

• 2018

  Bangabandhu-1 satellite distribution

  [1]Ekattor TVen.wikipedia.org

  The channel began broadcasting using Bangladesh’s Bangabandhu-1 satellite.

• 2017

  UNICEF children’s-programming agreement

  [1]Ekattor TVen.wikipedia.org

  Ekattor signed an agreement to air one-minute children’s programming segments with UNICEF and other Bangladeshi channels.

• 2016

  Prism video-news partnership

  [1]Ekattor TVen.wikipedia.org

  Ekattor joined other Bangladeshi broadcasters in subscribing to Prism, a Bdnews24.com video news agency run by children.

• 2014

  News-channel and talk-show awards

  [1]Ekattor TVen.wikipedia.org

  The channel was recognized as the best news channel for 2013, while Ekattor Journal received a best-talk-show award.

• 2012

  Official launch

  [1]Ekattor TVen.wikipedia.org

  Ekattor TV began transmissions on 21 June 2012 as a Bengali news-oriented television channel.

• 2009

  Broadcasting license granted

  [1]Ekattor TVen.wikipedia.org

  The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission granted Ekattor TV a broadcasting license on 20 October 2009.

A Bengali-language national news broadcaster positioned around continuous news, public connection, political discussion, and multimedia distribution.

• News television channel · 2012

  Ekattor TV news service

  The core Ekattor TV service is a Bengali-language satellite and cable news channel serving Bangladesh. It combines rolling and scheduled news with political reporting, interviews, public-affairs discussion, sports coverage, and national and international news. The service was launched in full high definition and later added Bangabandhu-1 satellite distribution.

• Talk show and public affairs

  Ekattor Journal

  Ekattor Journal is a discussion-led program associated with the channel. It covers public issues and current affairs through interviews and studio debate and received a best-talk-show award from the Bangladesh Cable Television Viewers Forum.

• Online news video

  Digital video news

  Ekattor extends its television journalism through online video and YouTube channels. These digital outlets provide additional distribution for reports and broadcasts, although access to the channel’s YouTube channels has been subject to geo-blocking in India.

• 2026

  Reported International Crimes Tribunal charge

  The reference material reports charges involving Farzana Rupa and Mozammel Haque Babu over a disputed report on the 2013 Shapla Square protests. This future-dated entry requires independent verification.

  Source

• 2024

  Arrest of former news executives

  Former executives Shakil Ahmed and Farzana Rupa were arrested over allegations connected to a protest-related death. Human Rights Watch expressed concern about the arrests.

  Source

• 2023

  Political boycott and allegations of misinformation

  The Bangladesh Nationalist Party boycotted Ekattor talk shows over alleged bias, while Rumor Scanner listed the channel among Bangladesh’s major publishers of alleged fake news.

  Source

• 2020

  Boycott calls over alleged anti-Islamic coverage

  Public figures and Islamic scholars called for a boycott of Ekattor while alleging that the channel aired anti-Islamic content. Editors Guild Bangladesh condemned one of the boycott appeals.

  Source

• 2017

  Website hack and anti-Islamic message

  Ekattor’s website was hacked and displayed a message accusing the broadcaster of anti-Islamic activity.

  Source

Read more

• 2017UNICEF one-minute children’s programming initiative

  Bangladesh

  Ekattor joined four other Bangladeshi television channels in an agreement with UNICEF to air one-minute children’s programming segments.

  Outcome. The agreement expanded the channel’s public-interest programming beyond conventional news coverage.

  Source

• 2024

  Temporary suspension after headquarters vandalismOther

  Background

  Political unrest and attacks on several Bangladeshi television headquarters disrupted broadcasting operations.

  Action taken

  Ekattor temporarily ceased transmissions after equipment was reportedly looted.

  Aftermath

  The interruption affected the channel’s normal broadcast service; the available material does not specify the full restoration timeline.

  Source

• 2018

  Adoption of Bangabandhu-1 satellite distributionStrategy

  Background

  Bangladesh expanded domestic satellite infrastructure through the Bangabandhu-1 communications satellite.

  Action taken

  Ekattor began broadcasting through Bangabandhu-1 in December 2018.

  Aftermath

  The move added a national satellite-distribution route to the channel’s existing television network and digital presence.

  Source

1. 1Ekattor TVen.wikipedia.org