Bangladesh Sangbad Shangstha
Encyclopedia
Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) is a National news agency
of Bangladesh
established on January 1, 1972 within days of birth of Bangladesh as an independent country. The Dhaka bureau of the Associated Press of Pakistan
(APP) was turned into the national news agency
of the new country. Beginning with a small strength in the head office in Dhaka
and a bureau in Chittagong, BSS now has bureaus in Rajshahi, Rangamati and Sylhet also. The national news agency has its correspondents in all the 64 administrative districts of the country.
, had its branches in different parts of British India including Bengal
. The Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) was the first news agency to start working in East Bengal
and West Pakistan
in September 1949. It had offices in Karachi
, Sindh
, and two branches in East Bengal
, one at Dhaka
and the other at Chittagong
. In the same year, a privately owned news agency, the United Press of Pakistan (UPP), was launched at Karachi and Dhaka. Another private news agency, initially named Pakistan Press Agency (PPA) and later renamed Pakistan Press International (PPI), started functioning in June 1956 with its headquarters at Karachi and a branch office at Dhaka. The Eastern News Agency (ENA), the first locally owned independent news agency in Dhaka was established in March 1970 as a private limited company. Its operations remained suspended during the 9-month long War of Liberation in 1971.
. Initially it did not have any links with the outside world. In time links developed with PTI
of India
and reputed world wire services such as Reuters
, AFP
, and UPI.
In 1979, the BSS Ordinance was promulgated to enable it to act as the national news agency for undertaking news agency services in Bangladesh and obtaining international news agency services.
The agency functions 24 hours to disseminate national, international, political, economic, industrial, educational, arts & culture, development and other news to more than 50 subscribers across the country. BSS subscribes to international wire services AFP and exchanges news with Press Trust of India (PTI), Xinhua, the official news agency of China
, Bernama of Malaysia and TransData of Australia.
BSS transmits news features including IPS features. BSS introduced a Bangla news service in 1999 in the backdrop of a massive development of Bangla newspapers and media in Bangladesh.
of former Soviet Union
, ADN
of former German Democratic Republic, Prensa Latina
of Cuba, INA of Iraq, Kyodo of Japan, AGERPRESS of Romania, IRNA of Iran, Non-aligned News Pool, Organisation of Asia Pacific News Agencies (OANA), and the International Islamic News Agency (IINA). Protocols have also been signed with AFP of France and other foreign news agencies for exchange of photographs.
Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha functions as a national news agency for undertaking and promoting news agency service in Bangladesh, obtaining international news agency service, mobilisation of national news, and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto;
In pursuance of the proclamations of the 20th August, 1975, and the 8th November, 1975, and in exercise of all powers enabling him in that behalf, the President promulgate the Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha Ordinance:-1979.
BSS handles national news including the activities of the government, diplomatic affairs, socio-political happenings, economy, finance, sports, culture, law and parliamentary affairs. Newspapers throughout the country, radio and television authorities, and some government agencies subscribe to the news service of BSS. Banks and commercial organisations subscribe to the commercial news service of BSS that include international currency and commodity rates. The agency also runs a feature service. It is attached to the Ministry of Information and is headed by a managing director cum chief editor, while a board of directors with a chairman supervises the general direction and management of the agency. The sources of income consist of subscriptions from the subscribers and subsidy from the government.
News agency
A news agency is an organization of journalists established to supply news reports to news organizations: newspapers, magazines, and radio and television broadcasters. Such an agency may also be referred to as a wire service, newswire or news service.-History:The oldest news agency is Agence...
of Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
established on January 1, 1972 within days of birth of Bangladesh as an independent country. The Dhaka bureau of the Associated Press of Pakistan
Associated Press of Pakistan
Associated Press of Pakistan is a government-operated national news agency of Pakistan. It is not associated with the Associated Press agency .-Lack of financial resources:...
(APP) was turned into the national news agency
News agency
A news agency is an organization of journalists established to supply news reports to news organizations: newspapers, magazines, and radio and television broadcasters. Such an agency may also be referred to as a wire service, newswire or news service.-History:The oldest news agency is Agence...
of the new country. Beginning with a small strength in the head office in Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
and a bureau in Chittagong, BSS now has bureaus in Rajshahi, Rangamati and Sylhet also. The national news agency has its correspondents in all the 64 administrative districts of the country.
History
News agencies had operated in Bangladesh since long before its emergence as an independent state. One of the oldest news agencies in the world, the Reuter's Telegram Company, known shortly as ReutersReuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
, had its branches in different parts of British India including Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
. The Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) was the first news agency to start working in East Bengal
East Bengal
East Bengal was the name used during two periods in the 20th century for a territory that roughly corresponded to the modern state of Bangladesh. Both instances involved a violent partition of Bengal....
and West Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
in September 1949. It had offices in Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
, Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
, and two branches in East Bengal
East Bengal
East Bengal was the name used during two periods in the 20th century for a territory that roughly corresponded to the modern state of Bangladesh. Both instances involved a violent partition of Bengal....
, one at Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
and the other at Chittagong
Chittagong
Chittagong ) is a city in southeastern Bangladesh and the capital of an eponymous district and division. Built on the banks of the Karnaphuli River, the city is home to Bangladesh's busiest seaport and has a population of over 4.5 million, making it the second largest city in the country.A trading...
. In the same year, a privately owned news agency, the United Press of Pakistan (UPP), was launched at Karachi and Dhaka. Another private news agency, initially named Pakistan Press Agency (PPA) and later renamed Pakistan Press International (PPI), started functioning in June 1956 with its headquarters at Karachi and a branch office at Dhaka. The Eastern News Agency (ENA), the first locally owned independent news agency in Dhaka was established in March 1970 as a private limited company. Its operations remained suspended during the 9-month long War of Liberation in 1971.
Functions
Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) came into being as the national news agency through a government order in January 1972. It started its journey with some staff members who had previously worked at APPAssociated Press of Pakistan
Associated Press of Pakistan is a government-operated national news agency of Pakistan. It is not associated with the Associated Press agency .-Lack of financial resources:...
. Initially it did not have any links with the outside world. In time links developed with PTI
Press Trust of India
Press Trust of India is the largest news agency in India. It is headquartered in Delhi and is a nonprofit cooperative among more than 450 Indian newspapers and has a staff of about 2,000 writers spread across 150 offices nationwide...
of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and reputed world wire services such as Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
, AFP
Agence France-Presse
Agence France-Presse is a French news agency, the oldest one in the world, and one of the three largest with Associated Press and Reuters. It is also the largest French news agency. Currently, its CEO is Emmanuel Hoog and its news director Philippe Massonnet...
, and UPI.
In 1979, the BSS Ordinance was promulgated to enable it to act as the national news agency for undertaking news agency services in Bangladesh and obtaining international news agency services.
The agency functions 24 hours to disseminate national, international, political, economic, industrial, educational, arts & culture, development and other news to more than 50 subscribers across the country. BSS subscribes to international wire services AFP and exchanges news with Press Trust of India (PTI), Xinhua, the official news agency of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Bernama of Malaysia and TransData of Australia.
BSS transmits news features including IPS features. BSS introduced a Bangla news service in 1999 in the backdrop of a massive development of Bangla newspapers and media in Bangladesh.
International Exchange Agreement
It signed exchange agreements with Reuters, AFP, UPI, PTI, APP, Xinhua of China, Rastriya Samachar Samiti - RSS of Nepal, Bernama of Malaysia, Antara of Indonesia, APNAPN
APN may refer to:* Access Point Name, a setting for the General Packet Radio Service * Acute pyelonephritis, is an ascending urinary tract infection that has reached the pelvis of the kidney* Advanced practice nurse...
of former Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, ADN
Allgemeiner Deutscher Nachrichtendienst
The Allgemeiner Deutscher Nachrichtendienst , German for General German News Service, was the state news agency in the German Democratic Republic...
of former German Democratic Republic, Prensa Latina
Prensa Latina
Prensa Latina, legal name Agencia de Noticias Latinoamericana S.A. , is the official state news agency of Cuba, founded in March 1959 shortly after the Cuban Revolution.-Overview:...
of Cuba, INA of Iraq, Kyodo of Japan, AGERPRESS of Romania, IRNA of Iran, Non-aligned News Pool, Organisation of Asia Pacific News Agencies (OANA), and the International Islamic News Agency (IINA). Protocols have also been signed with AFP of France and other foreign news agencies for exchange of photographs.
Regulations of BSS (Ordinance)
An Ordinance to provide for the establishment of the Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha.Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha functions as a national news agency for undertaking and promoting news agency service in Bangladesh, obtaining international news agency service, mobilisation of national news, and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto;
In pursuance of the proclamations of the 20th August, 1975, and the 8th November, 1975, and in exercise of all powers enabling him in that behalf, the President promulgate the Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha Ordinance:-1979.
BSS handles national news including the activities of the government, diplomatic affairs, socio-political happenings, economy, finance, sports, culture, law and parliamentary affairs. Newspapers throughout the country, radio and television authorities, and some government agencies subscribe to the news service of BSS. Banks and commercial organisations subscribe to the commercial news service of BSS that include international currency and commodity rates. The agency also runs a feature service. It is attached to the Ministry of Information and is headed by a managing director cum chief editor, while a board of directors with a chairman supervises the general direction and management of the agency. The sources of income consist of subscriptions from the subscribers and subsidy from the government.