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Type | Online newspaper |
---|---|
Format | |
Owner(s) | Bangladesh News 24 Hours Ltd. |
Founder(s) |
|
Publisher | Toufique Imrose Khalidi[1] |
Editor-in-chief | Toufique Imrose Khalidi[1] |
News editor | Jahidul Kabir, Biswadip Das[citation needed] |
Founded | 2005; 20 years ago (2005) |
Language | English and Bengali |
Headquarters | Red Crescent Concord Tower,Dhaka, Bangladesh |
Website | bdnews24 |
bdnews24.com is an English andBengali language news portal based inBangladesh.
On 1 September 2023, the website was wiped out due to suspected hijacking, and all the content were inaccessible.[2][3] It came back online on 5 October 2023.[4]
In 2005, the company launched initially as the country's first exclusively web-basednews agency, and was known as BDNEWS. The website bdnews24.com developed by Ahmed Yasir Riad (2005–2013) was Bangladesh's first 24/7 bilingual news web portal.[5] The other two national news agencies at the time were the state-ownedBangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) and the privately ownedUnited News of Bangladesh (UNB), which at the time wereteleprinter-based "wire services".[6] Following a take-over in mid-2006 at the agency'sholding company Bangladesh News 24 Hours Ltd, ownership is vested between two sole board directors: Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief Toufique Imrose Khalidi, and chair of the company Asif Mahmood.[1]
In October 2006, bdnews24.com relaunched as Bangladesh's first free online newspaper developed by Yasir, and was rebranded as bdnews24.com. Editor-in-Chief Khalidi is a journalist and formerBBC broadcaster.[7] On 28 May 2012, the office of bdnews24.com was attacked by men with machetes injuring three journalists.[8][9]
The website regularly publishes news on topics such asBangladesh, Samagra Bangladesh,Trade,Politics,Economy, World,Science,Environment,Health,Technology,Kids,Entertainment,Sports,Glitz, and 'Hello' (for young journalists), among others.[10]
In June 2018, Bdnews24.com was blocked without explanation by theBangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).[11][12] After several hours, the BTRC unblocked the website. According to the chairman of theBTRC, the site had "added some objectionable comments in one of their news items". The item was not identified by the BTRC, but other sources reported that, it was about GeneralAziz Ahmed's appointment as army chief of staff.[13][14]
BDNews24 shut down on 1 September 2023.Somoy TV published a news on it on 4 September 2023 titled "Suddenly 'Closed' BDNEWS, Kar Dosha Kar Garhe". It says bdnews news is not showing, a white page appears, with only date on top and editor and publisher Taufiq Imroz Khalidi's name below.[15]
About this shutdown, BDNews authorities said - "For reasons beyond our control, it is not possible to provide regular services to readers on our news portal. We sincerely apologize. We assure readers, our fight to bring the website back is on. For now, keep an eye on our Facebook, Instagram, X Page and YouTube channel for updates.[15][2]
Bangladeshi-American political scientistAli Riaz responded, "BDNews24 published an analysis by Chandan Nandy on India's influence on Bangladeshi politics. The article has since been published on an Indian website and claims that the BDNews24 website has been 'blocked' in India and Bangladesh."[15] As of 7 September 2023, the site showed a maintenance message.[16] The following month the site was operational again.[17][18]