![]() Islamic TV Logo | |
Country | Bangladesh |
---|---|
Broadcast area | National |
Headquarters | Hatirpool, Dhaka |
Programming | |
Picture format | MPEG-2 |
Ownership | |
Owner | Broadcast Islamic World Limited |
History | |
Launched | April 2007 |
Closed | 6 May 2013 |
Links | |
Website | Islamic TV |
Islamic TV (Bengali: ইসলামিক টিভি) was a Bangladeshi Bengali-language satellite and cable religious television channel launched in April 2007.[1] It was headquartered in the Hatirpool neighborhood of Dhaka.[2] One of the founders of the channel was its owner Sayeed Iskander, the younger brother of the former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.[3][4]
In 2013, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission shut Islamic TV down, along with Diganta TV.[5][6] Prior to its shutdown, it was Bangladesh's only television channel dedicated to religious programming.[7] The channel also broadcast entertainment and news programming.[8]
History
Closure
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission forced Islamic TV to cease transmissions on 6 May 2013, at about 2:30 am.[9][10] According to director Shams Iskandar, law and order forces went to the headquarters of Islamic TV and locked the broadcasting room half an hour earlier.[11] 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."[12][13] Critics have alleged this an instance of the Sheikh Hasina government of using the Islamist issue to silence dissidents.[12] The chairman and founder director of Islamic TV, Sardar Sahabuddin Mintu, died on 25 October 2015.[7]
Although the channels were shut down, their licenses have not been revoked.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.[14][15][16] 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.[17]
See also
References
- ^ টিভি সম্প্রচার বন্ধকরণ আইন প্রসঙ্গে. The Daily Ittefaq (in Bengali). 21 May 2013. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
- ^ "Contact Islamic Television". Archived from the original on 30 January 2009. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
- ^ খালেদার ভাই সাঈদ এস্কান্দারের মৃত্যু. BDNews24 (in Bengali). 23 September 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
- ^ Khan, Ashfaq Wares (16 March 2007). "10 TV Channels". The Daily Star. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ^ "Diganta, Islamic TV taken off air". BDNews24. 6 May 2013. Archived from the original on 8 May 2013.
- ^ "Amar Desh, Diganta, Islamic TV closed for irregularities: Dhaka Tribune". Dhaka Tribune. 20 May 2013. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
- ^ a b ইসলামিক টিভির চেয়ারম্যানের ইন্তেকাল. JagoNews24 (in Bengali). 25 October 2015. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
- ^ Roy, Ratan Kumar (28 December 2020). Television in Bangladesh: News and Audiences. Taylor & Francis. p. 39. ISBN 978-1000332742. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
- ^ দিগন্ত ও ইসলামিক টিভির সম্প্রচারবন্ধ. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). 6 May 2013. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
- ^ "Diganta, Islamic TV taken off air". bdnews24.com. 6 May 2013. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
- ^ দিগন্ত ও ইসলামিক টিভির সম্প্রচার বন্ধ. BDNews24 (in Bengali). 6 May 2013. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
- ^ 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 8 August 2024.
- ^ "Diganta, Islamic TV off air". The Daily Star. 7 May 2013. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
- ^ দিগন্ত-ইসলামিক টিভির লাইসেন্স বাতিলের সিদ্ধান্ত হয়নি. Banglanews24.com (in Bengali). 11 January 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
- ^ দিগন্ত ও ইসলামিক টিভির লাইসেন্স বাতিলে চূড়ান্ত সিদ্ধান্ত হয়নি. Jugantor (in Bengali). 12 January 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
- ^ দিগন্ত ও ইসলামিক টিভির লাইসেন্স বাতিলের সিদ্ধান্ত চূড়ান্ত হয়নি. Kaler Kantho (in Bengali). 11 January 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
- ^ "DRU calls for immediate reopening of unjustly closed media outlets". Dhaka Tribune. 8 August 2024. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
External links