Sangsad Bangladesh Television will go on air tomorrow by broadcasting live President Zillur Rahman's address to the new-year session of parliament.
An exclusive channel for the Jatiya Sangsad, it began a two-hour test transmission via satellite at 6:00pm yesterday.
During the dry run, it unveiled its logo and the theme song, and screened documentaries on historic events, sources at the parliament secretariat told The Daily Star.
The Sangsad TV will mainly broadcast live the parliament proceedings. During recess, it will show programmes on the history of the Sangsad, discussions on important bills and legislative practices in other countries from 6:00pm to 8:00pm.
Speaker Abdul Hamid has commissioned a five-member preview committee to ensure quality of the documentaries to be aired.
Whip Noor-E-Alam Chowdhury Liton will head the committee whose other members are Whip Sagufta Yasmin, lawmakers Asaduzzaman Noor, Shahriar Alam and Tarana Halim.
A meeting chaired by the speaker on Friday discussed matters relating to the channel.
Initially, the channel will use the infrastructure, establishment and manpower of Bangladesh Television, Shahriar Alam, who attended the meeting, told The Daily Star.
“The playing time would be expanded when the TV would have its own logistics and manpower,” he continued.
The parliament secretariat has submitted an initial budget of Tk 15 crore to run the channel. It now plans to ask the Public Service Commission to recruit staff for the JS TV.
The station would be based on the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban premises, and its temporary studio would be at the North Plaza, said the JS secretariat sources.
CHIEF WHIP'S INVITE
Chief Whip Abdus Shahid yesterday invited opposition's Chief Whip Zainul Abdin Farroque to return to the House that goes into session tomorrow.
He made the invitation while talking to his opposite number over the phone.
In reply, Farroque said he would communicate the message to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.
The BNP-led opposition has been boycotting parliament proceedings since June 2 last year.