Initial broadcasts (1996–2016)

On 19 December 1996, Sheikh Hasina, the prime minister of Bangladesh, inaugurated the first regional television station of Bangladesh Television in Chittagong, with financial and technical support from the Government of France.^[7] It only broadcast for one and a half hour at the time, within a 40 km limit via terrestrial television.^[8] BTV Chittagong was operated via a syndicate, and had acquired programs, which were subsequently broadcast on the station. It was also reported that the same artists have constantly been shown on the station.^[9] Celebrities have urged the station's authorities to increase its daily schedule to properly showcase the culture, heritage, and the history of the Chittagong region.^[10] The authorities of BTV Chittagong was also accused of mismanagement, leading the station to be in disarray.^[11] The station's broadcast timing was later extended to two hours a day, and later to three hours.^[8][12]

In January 2009, BTV Chittagong filed a general diary against Ekushey Television for illegally using terrestrial signals for broadcasting in Chittagong, even after the government of Bangladesh ruled that only Bangladesh Television-affiliated stations can broadcast on terrestrial television in Bangladesh. Local police in the city later shut the terrestrial broadcasts on 6 January.^[13] Discussions for increasing BTV Chittagong's broadcast schedule took place in 2013, as an objective for the station to broadcast for twenty-four hours.^[14] For this, a project costing BDT 440 million had to be initiated.^[12]

Satellite era

On 28 September 2016, BTV Chittagong began experimental broadcasts via satellite television on a four-hour basis.^[8] It was later extended to six hours on 31 December 2016. This transmission was also broadcast to 60 countries worldwide. BTV Chittagong also debuted on cable television.^[15] On 13 April 2019, BTV Chittagong began broadcasting for nine hours on a daily basis, and also commenced transmissions via the Bangabandhu-1 satellite on 1 July 2019.^[16][17] Its broadcast time was later extended to twelve hours in December 2019.^[4]

In September 2020, a 133.5 metres (438 ft) tall tower of BTV Chittagong was built. Twelve satellite and cable channels and two terrestrial channels can be operated using the tower, and on 3 September, the transmissions of BTV Chittagong, BTV Dhaka, Sangsad Television, and BTV World were commenced using the tower.^[18] On 19 December 2020, BTV Chittagong began airing English-language news programming.^[17]

On 10 January 2021, BTV Chittagong commenced transmissions for eighteen hours, which is identical to the broadcast timing of BTV Dhaka.^[17][19] In May 2021, BTV Chittagong was made available for streaming worldwide in the newly launched BTV app.^[20] On 17 June 2021, BTV Chittagong broadcast its first national debate.^[21] On 7 August 2021, the station broadcast live from its studios for the first time.^[22] On 19 December 2021, on its 25th anniversary, the station began broadcasting on a full day basis.^[6][18]

On 29 January 2022, BTV Chittagong's former controller and program manager, Mahfuza Akhter, was appointed as BTV Chittagong's new general manager, replacing Nitai Kumar Bhattacharya.^[23][24] On the same day, a Bangabandhu Corner dedicated to the founding father of Bangladesh, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was inaugurated at the headquarters of BTV Chittagong.^[25] In observance of Eid al-Fitr 2022, the station broadcast the self-produced Anandamela.^[26] In May 2022, the Government of Bangladesh ordered the broadcast of BTV Chittagong, along with its sisters, in airports across the country.^[27] On 12 January 2023, Mahfuza Akhter resigned from her position and is succeeded by Nur Anwar Hossain Ranju.^[28]

Broadcast time changes