Director of BBC World Service Group, Fran Unsworth has announced the upcoming launch of a weekly BBC Bangla TV programme, BBC Probaho, on Bangladesh’s leading cable/satellite station, Channel-i. According to the contract signed today between BBC Bangla and Channel-i, the co-production between BBC Bangla and Channel-i, BBC Probaho, will go on air in June 2015.
The new weekly TV current-affairs show, BBC Probaho, will deliver in-depth reporting and live studio interviews, covering international and business stories. Presented by BBC Bangla’s Sharmin Rauma and co-produced with Channel-i, the programme will directly engage with the audiences. It will be broadcast live by Channel-i from its Dhaka studios.
Fran Unsworth is visiting Dhaka alongside the Controller of BBC World Service Languages Liliane Landor and Executive Director of the BBC’s international development charity, BBC Media Action, Caroline Nursey. Fran Unsworth said:
“I’m delighted to announce that we will be bringing BBC Probaho to Bengali TV screens via our partnership with Channel-i. BBC Probaho, hosted by Sharmin Rauma, will bring viewers hard-hitting interviews and analysis, and we’ll be actively encouraging audience interaction. For almost 10 years BBC Bangla and BBC Media Action have brought BBC Bangladesh Sanglap to Channel-i, and BBC Probaho sees our partnership going from strength to strength.”
This new partnership with Channel-i builds on the network’s decade-long collaboration with BBC Media Action and BBC Bangla. Channel-i has broadcast over 250 editions of the weekly television debate, BBC Bangladesh Sanglap, which is funded and managed by BBC Media Action. BBC Bangla provides key editorial support for the programme.
Shykh Seraj, Head of News of Channel-i, added: “Geographically the location of Bangladesh is predominantly important from a global perspective. The country has achieved remarkable social and economic progress since liberation. It has ensured free flow of information and transformed lives of many through the contribution from media. I firmly believe this partnership is certainly a milestone which will enrich the news and current affairs scenario and would also contribute to the democracy, politics and good governance in the region.”
The upcoming launch of the TV programme, BBC Probaho, adds to BBC’s strong presence in Bangladesh. BBC World Service’s radio programmes in Bangla and English are relayed on state broadcaster Bangladesh Betar’s FM frequencies in ten cities. While the website bbcbangla.com registers over a million unique visitors per month, the BBC Bangla Facebook page has over 4.7 million followers. BBC Bangla also offers a mobile news service, delivering 12 audio news and sports bulletins for mobile phone users in Bangladesh every day.
BBC Bangla is part of BBC World Service.