Channel 24 () is a Bangladeshi Bengali-language satellite and cable television channel airing programming relating to news and current affairs, owned by Times Media Limited, a subsidiary of the

Ha-meem Group Ha-Meem Group is a Bangladeshi conglomerate in textile and garments sector. It owns 26 garments factories, sweater factory, poly bag industry, label factory, jute mill, chemical formulation plant, tea estates, transport company, Channel 24 and ...

. The channel was launched on 24 May 2012 initially as a mixed entertainment channel, before moving to solely airing news programming.

History

Channel 24 was granted a license to broadcast in February 2010 by the

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) () is an independent commission founded under the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulation Act, 2001 (Act no. 18 of 2001). The commission is responsible for regulating all matters related ...

. It began test transmissions on 22 August 2011. Although initially planning to do so in December of that year, it officially commenced transmissions on 24 May 2012 at 19:00 ( BST). Originally, its programming line was diversified, consisting of drama, news, television films, music, sports, talk shows, and many more. It also offered programming targeted towards viewers in

Chittagong Chittagong ( ), officially Chattogram, (, ) (, or ) is the second-largest city in Bangladesh. Home to the Port of Chittagong, it is the busiest port in Bangladesh and the Bay of Bengal. The city is also the business capital of Bangladesh. It ...

, which is broadcast from the city. It later changed its focus to mostly airing news and current affairs programming. Within two years of its launch, Channel 24 became the top news channel in Bangladesh. Channel 24 was one of the nine Bangladeshi television channels to sign an agreement with Bdnews24.com to subscribe to a video-based news agency run by children called ''Prism'' in May 2016. The channel was the first in Bangladesh to introduce an AI news anchor, named 'Aparajita', who debuted on 19 July 2023. During the

non-cooperation movement Non-cooperation movement may refer to: * Non-cooperation movement (1919–1922), during the Indian independence movement, led by Mahatma Gandhi against British rule * Non-cooperation movement (1971), a movement in East Pakistan * Non-cooperatio ...

on 5 August 2024, Channel 24 broadcast live footages of protesters storming the

Ganabhaban The Ganabhaban (, also spelt Gonobhaban) located in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka, north of the National Parliament House, served as the official residence of the Prime Minister of Bangladesh until the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. ...

, the official residence of the former prime minister

Sheikh Hasina Sheikh Hasina (''née'' Wazed; born 28 September 1947) is a Bangladeshi politician who served as the tenth prime minister of Bangladesh from June 1996 to July 2001 and again from January 2009 to August 2024. Premiership of Sheikh Hasina, Her ...

, as they celebrate her resignation.

Controversies

On 18 September 2013, on Channel 24's talk show ''Muktobaak'', two participants stated that the rights of

Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury (13 March 1949 – 22 November 2015) was a Bangladeshi politician, minister and six-term member of Jatiya Sangsad and member of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Standing Committee, who served as the adviser of ...

were curtailed as he was not allowed to place defense witnesses, raising doubts about the trial process by the International Crimes Tribunal. This statement was found to be "baseless" and "utterly false" and resulted in a contempt petition against the officials of the channel.

Programming

* ''Amar Joto Gaan'' * ''Beyond the Gallery'' * ''Entertainment 24'' * ''Lifestyle 24'' * ''Mukhomukhi'' * ''Prosongo Rajniti'' * ''Sports 24''

References

{{Television in Bangladesh Television channels and stations established in 2012 Television channels in Bangladesh Mass media in Dhaka 24-hour television news channels in Bangladesh 2012 establishments in Bangladesh