Channel 1 (Bengali: চ্যানেল ওয়ান) was a Bangladeshi Bengali-language satellite and cable pay television channel owned by One Entertainment Limited, a sister concern of One Group. It was launched on 24 January 2006 and broadcast entertainment and news programming targeted toward all ages.[1] Channel 1 was headquartered in the Uday Tower situated in Gulshan, Dhaka. As it was using rented broadcasting equipment, which was against Bangladeshi law, the channel ceased broadcasting on 27 April 2010 after being ordered by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission.[2]
History
Channel 1 applied for a broadcasting license on 5 January 2005, which the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission granted it on 31 January of that year. Its frequency was also allocated in the process.[3] It was founded on 1 June 2005 by Giasuddin Al Mamun, who is a close associate of the acting chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Tarique Rahman, although Mamun had stated the channel had no links to him or the coalition government ruling Bangladesh at the time and that the programming of the channel would be non-partisan.[2][4] Mamun was also the managing director of the channel.[5]
Channel 1 began test broadcasts on 17 January 2006. A press conference was told by the authorities of the channel that it was set to be inaugurated by President Iajuddin Ahmed on 24 January 2006 and immediately broadcast in Africa, the rest of Asia, northeastern Australia, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East besides Bangladesh.[5] Its authorities also made efforts for the channel to be available in North America and the United Kingdom.[4] Channel 1 was officially launched afterward on 24 January, with the telefilm Shuronjona being aired on the occasion.[6]
Closure
In 2007, One Entertainment secured a loan from Prime Bank, pledging the station's broadcasting equipment as collateral. In 2008, the bank called in the loan and, when it was not repaid, sold the equipment at auction to People's Entertainment Ltd.[7][2][8] Channel 1 continued operating, with what the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission found was rented broadcasting equipment, which is a violation of Bangladesh telecommunications law. Consequently, the BTRC shut down the channel on 27 April 2010 at about 18:40 (BST). The last program broadcast was its evening news bulletin.[2][8]
The license of Channel 1 was revoked by the government later on.[9] Shortly after the fall of prime minister Sheikh Hasina's government, on 8 August 2024, Dhaka Reporters Unity demanded immediate reinstation of all unjustly closed media outlets in Bangladesh, including Channel 1.[10]
