Islamic TV

Islamic TV
ইসলামিক টিভি
CountryBangladesh
Broadcast areaNational
HeadquartersHatirpool, Dhaka
Programming
Picture format1080i HDTV
Ownership
OwnerBroadcast Islamic World
Key peopleNasreen Sayeed[1]
History
Launched
  • April 2007 (2007-04) (original)
  • January 2026 (2026-01) (relaunch)
Closed6 May 2013 (2013-05-06) (original)
Links
Websiteislamictv.news

Islamic TV (Bengali: ইসলামিক টিভি) is a Bangladeshi Bengali-language satellite and cable religious television channel launched in April 2007.[2] It is headquartered in the Hatirpool neighborhood of Dhaka.[3] One of the founders of the channel was its owner Sayeed Iskander, the younger brother of the former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.[4][5]

It is the first and currently the only television channel in Bangladesh dedicated to religious programming.[6] The channel also broadcasts entertainment and news programming.[7] In 2013, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission shut Islamic TV down, along with Diganta TV.[8][9] Islamic TV resumed broadcasts in January 2026.[10]

History

Closure

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission forced Islamic TV to cease transmissions on 6 May 2013, at about 2:30 am.[11][12] According to managing director of the channel Shams Eskander, law and order forces went to the headquarters of Islamic TV and destroyed broadcasting equipments and vandalised the office.[13] This was followed by the closure of Diganta Television on the same day. According to Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu, it was taken off the air because its reporting on the raid on Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh contained "irresponsible exaggerations and misinformation to inflame public opinion, a violation of the conditions of its license."[14][15]

Critics have alleged this an instance of the Sheikh Hasina government of using the Islamist issue to silence dissidents.[6] Although the channels were shut down, their licenses have not been revoked.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.[16][17][18] The chairman and founding director of Islamic TV, Sardar Sahabuddin Mintu, died on 25 October 2015, two years after the channel was shut down.[6]

Relaunch

On 8 August 2024, Dhaka Reporters Unity demanded immediate reinstation of all unjustly closed media outlets in Bangladesh, including Islamic TV, following the resignation of prime minister Sheikh Hasina after anti-government protests.[19] Work had been underway to officially relaunch the television channel.[1] It returned to broadcasting in late January 2026.[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Zakir Hossain Liton (22 September 2024). আবার চালু হচ্ছে বন্ধ করে দেওয়া গণমাধ্যমগুলো. Daily Kalbela (in Bengali). Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  2. ^ টিভি সম্প্রচার বন্ধকরণ আইন প্রসঙ্গে. The Daily Ittefaq (in Bengali). 21 May 2013. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  3. ^ "Contact Islamic Television". Archived from the original on 30 January 2009. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
  4. ^ খালেদার ভাই সাঈদ এস্কান্দারের মৃত্যু. BDNews24 (in Bengali). 23 September 2012. Archived from the original on 12 December 2023. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
  5. ^ Khan, Ashfaq Wares (16 March 2007). "10 TV Channels". The Daily Star. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
  6. ^ a b c ইসলামিক টিভির চেয়ারম্যানের ইন্তেকাল. JagoNews24 (in Bengali). 25 October 2015. Archived from the original on 10 August 2024. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
  7. ^ Roy, Ratan Kumar (28 December 2020). Television in Bangladesh: News and Audiences. Taylor & Francis. p. 39. ISBN 978-1000332742. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  8. ^ "Diganta, Islamic TV taken off air". BDNews24. 6 May 2013. Archived from the original on 8 May 2013.
  9. ^ "Amar Desh, Diganta, Islamic TV closed for irregularities: Dhaka Tribune". Dhaka Tribune. 20 May 2013. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
  10. ^ a b "Bangladesh's first Islamic satellite channel Islamic TV is back on air after years of silence". Facebook. Kaler Barta. 23 January 2026. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
  11. ^ দিগন্ত ও ইসলামিক টিভির সম্প্রচারবন্ধ. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). 6 May 2013. Archived from the original on 22 September 2020. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  12. ^ "Diganta, Islamic TV taken off air". BDNews24. 6 May 2013. Archived from the original on 8 May 2013. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  13. ^ দিগন্ত ও ইসলামিক টিভির সম্প্রচার বন্ধ. BDNews24 (in Bengali). 6 May 2013. Archived from the original on 8 May 2013. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
  14. ^ 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 8 August 2024.
  15. ^ "Diganta, Islamic TV off air". The Daily Star. 7 May 2013. Archived from the original on 2 March 2014. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  16. ^ দিগন্ত-ইসলামিক টিভির লাইসেন্স বাতিলের সিদ্ধান্ত হয়নি. Banglanews24.com (in Bengali). 11 January 2018. Archived from the original on 11 January 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  17. ^ দিগন্ত ও ইসলামিক টিভির লাইসেন্স বাতিলে চূড়ান্ত সিদ্ধান্ত হয়নি. Jugantor (in Bengali). 12 January 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  18. ^ দিগন্ত ও ইসলামিক টিভির লাইসেন্স বাতিলের সিদ্ধান্ত চূড়ান্ত হয়নি. Kaler Kantho (in Bengali). 11 January 2018. Archived from the original on 13 January 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  19. ^ "DRU calls for immediate reopening of unjustly closed media outlets". Dhaka Tribune. 8 August 2024. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
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