Bangladesh
 |
Population: | 156,665,000 |
| Capital: | Dhaka | |
| Language: |
Bangla (Bengali), English |
|
| Literacy Rate: | 47.9% | |
| GDP/PP: | $1,500 | |
| Joined Commonwealth: | 18 April 1972 (gained independence from Pakistan in 1971) |
Media
The main broadcasters - Radio Bangladesh and Bangladesh Television (BTV) - are state-owned and government-friendly. Generally, there is little coverage of the opposition parties, except in the run-up to general elections when a caretaker government takes control.
In the urban areas, television is by far the most-popular medium and BTV is the sole terrestrial TV channel. Popular satellite and cable channels include ATN, Channel i, NTV, RTV, Channel One, BanglaVision and Boishakhi. Indian TV stations have large audiences in Dhaka and other cities as do other foreign media.
The state-run radio covers almost the entire country. BBC World Service programmes in English and Bengali are broadcast in Dhaka.
Bangladesh has a dynamic newspaper industry; papers are diverse, outspoken and privately-owned. English-language titles appeal mainly to an educated urban readership with Bengali and other languages more popular in the rural areas.
Although the constitution guarantees press freedom, journalists are often subject to harassment from the police and political activists. Even in privately owned papers, the government exercises some influence through the placement of official advertising.
Media rights organisations have frequently accused the army of targeting journalists, who it says face arrest, maltreatment and censorship.
Access to the internet is growing with 500,000 internet users in Bangladesh by March 2008 - 0.3% of the population (ITU figure).Newspapers
English Dailies
The Daily Star
The Financial Express
The New Age
The Observer
Bangla Dailies
Prothom Alo
Ittefaq
Janakantha
Inquilab
Ajker Kagoj
Jugantor
Bhorer Kagoj
Shongram
Jaijaidin
Manab Zamin
Shamokal
Amadesr Shomoy
Sangbad
Web based News Sites
News from Bangladesh
Eastern Voice
Bangladesh News Digest
