Bdnews24.com

bdnews24.com is an English and Bengali language news portal of Bangladesh. Since September 1, 2023, the website was wiped out due to suspected hijacking, and all the content were inaccessible.[1][2] It came back online on October 5, 2023.[3]

bdnews24.com
TypeOnline newspaper
FormatMobile & Web
Owner(s)Bangladesh News 24 Hours Ltd.
Founder(s)
  • Toufique Imrose Khalidi
  • Asif Mahmood
PublisherToufique Imrose Khalidi on behalf of Bangladesh News 24 Hours Ltd
Editor-in-chiefToufique Imrose Khalidi
News editorArun Devnath, Jahidul Kabir, Monirul Islam
Founded2005 (2005)
LanguageEnglish and Bengali
HeadquartersRed Crescent Concord Tower, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Websitebdnews24.com

History

In 2005, the company launched initially as the country's first exclusively web-based news agency, and was known as BDNEWS.[4] The website bdnews24.com developed by Ahmed Yasir Riad (2005-2013) was Bangladesh's first 24/7 bilingual news web portal. The other two national news agencies at the time were the state-owned Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) and the privately owned United News of Bangladesh (UNB), which at the time were teleprinter-based "wire services". Following a take-over in mid-2006 at the agency's holding 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.

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 former BBC broadcaster.[5] On 28 May 2012 the office of bdnews24.com was attacked by men with machetes injuring three journalists.[6][7]

Website block

2018

In June 2018, Bdnews24.com was blocked without explanation by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).[8][9] After several hours, the BTRC unblocked the website. According to the chairman of the BTRC, 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 General Aziz Ahmed's appointment as army chief of staff.[10]

2023

BDNews24 shut down on September 1, 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.[11]

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.[11][1]

Bangladeshi-American political scientist and political analyst Professor Ali 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."[11] As of September 17, 2023 the site shows a maintenance message.[12]

References
  1. Report, Star Digital (1 September 2023). "bdnews24.com inaccessible". The Daily Star. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
  2. Suspected 'hacking' knocks bdnews24.com offline for over 10 hours (dhakatribune.com)
  3. https://bangla.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/71653/%E0%A6%85%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%B6%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B7%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%AB%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%B2-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A1%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%89%E0%A6%9C
  4. "সংবাদ সংস্থা - বাংলাপিডিয়া". bn.banglapedia.org (in Bengali). Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  5. "Release Mahmudur". The Daily Star. 6 June 2010. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
  6. "Journalists repeatedly attacked in police reprisals against media". Reporters without borders (in French). 30 May 2012. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
  7. "6-day ultimatum given to arrest attackers". The Daily Star. 30 May 2012. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
  8. "Bdnews24.com blcked". The Daily Star. 18 June 2018. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  9. "Is Bangladesh's media freedom deteriorating?". Deutsche Welle. 27 July 2018. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  10. "BTRC reopened bdnews24 website". Benarnews. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  11. "হঠাৎ 'বন্ধ' বিডিনিউজ, কার দোষ কার ঘাড়ে". Somoy TV. 4 September 2023. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  12. "Maintenance". BDNEWS24. Archived from the original on 7 September 2023. Retrieved 7 September 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
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