A German radio station, Deutsche Welle (DW), officially launched its programmes in Bangla using the FM frequencies of the state-run radio station Bangladesh Betar yesterday.
Listeners in six divisional cities — Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet, Khulna, Rajshahi and Rangpur — can reach DW programmes from 8:00am to 8:30am, and 8:00pm to 8:30pm daily.
DW officials said the programmes will be broadcast on 97.6 MHz FM in Dhaka; 105.4 MHz in Chittagong and Rangpur; and 105.0 MHz in Khulna and Rajshahi.
The radio broadcasts include international and regional news, current affairs, in-depth reports and ten minutes radio magazines on youths, campus, health, women, culture, music, science, sports, environment and lifestyle.
Grahame Lucas, head of DW’s South Asian Desk, said the youth population in Bangladesh is growing quickly, and they demand a fast, up-to-date and reliable source of news and information.
DW also will run a contest, not known yet, for its users and listeners from next Monday, offering a motorized scooter for the champion and an iPod Nano for the runners-up.
Participants can respond via Short Message Service (SMS) at 2777, or visit website: www.dw-world.de/bengali.
DW started test transmission in Bangladesh in April this year.
AKM Shameem Chowdhury, Bangladesh Betar director general; Tobias Grote Bevenborg, representative of distribution and sell of DW; and Debrati Guha, coordinating editor of DW’s South Asia Desk; were present at the lunching ceremony held at a city hotel.
