About bdnews24.com
Critically acclaimed for the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and ethical journalism, bdnews24.com is a first-of-its-kind venture, being the first Internet-only newsgathering operation in Bangladesh and one of the first — if not the first — in the world.
The 24/7 news publisher draws on the resources of over 500 journalists and photographers around Bangladesh and beyond. Nineteen years on, it has brought accurate news and unique insights to a widely dispersed audience.
It had begun primarily as a news agency with a few clients in the print and broadcast industry. The bilingual news service quickly grew to be the world’s window on Bangladesh. The numbers kept changing for the provider of essential news, information, analysis and comment – with tens of millions of unique visitors turning to the site.
The story for the nation’s ‘first Internet newspaper’ dates back to mid-2006 when a friendly takeover led to boardroom changes at Bangladesh News 24 Hours Ltd, the owning company.
Back to the drawing board, the takeover turned out to be the perfect opportunity to rebrand what had started out as BDNEWS – a news agency service delivered online, a business which had become difficult to sustain for the original founders.
In June 2006, Toufique Imrose Khalidi, journalist and former BBC broadcaster, took over as Managing Director/ Chief Executive of the company, and the news outfit re-emerged as bdnews24.com, effectively becoming Bangladesh’s first dotcom company.
Months later, its content was opened to public for free, earning it the now-famous label ‘Bangladesh’s first online newspaper’.
bdnews24.com, as a free-to-access 24/7 news source, turned 19 on October 23 2025.
Toufique Khalidi, as Editor-in-Chief, put together a new team of experienced, talented, and tech-savvy professionals from across the journalistic spectrum. Eighteen years on, the team continues to innovate, lead and set new standards for the digital generation.
Our Journey
Boardroom changes at Bangladesh News 24 Hours Ltd, the owning company of bdnews24.com, with full transfer of ownership
Oct 23, 2006
bdnews24.com opens its content to public; Bangladesh’s first online newspaper is born
arts.bdnews24.com launched
Oct 18, 2007: Some of the most celebrated attend the formal launch
bdnews24.com launches SMS news for the first Time in Bangladesh
Morning Update is launched, with the target of reaching the day’s headlines to the subscribers’ breakfast table faster than print sources
Breaking News is launched, with as-it-happens stories instantly delivered to tens of thousands of subscribers, evening reaching hundreds of thousands (More such updates follow – such as Business Update, Midday Update, Evening Update)
bdnews24.com begins news service with all mobile operators
Nov 13, 2008: Radisson Hotel: A gala dinner attended by “anyone who is anyone in Bangladesh” marked what was described as the two years of service
Five years of innovation: bdnews24.com celebrates in style
Dec 20, 2011, Radisson Hotel: The annual dinner guests meet a unique woman — a 1971 guerrilla who launches the beta version of a redesigned site
bdnews24.com launches first-ever site for child journalists
A first-of-its-kind journalism handbook for children is developed by bdnews24.com ahead of the launch of hello.bdnews24.com, with support from the Unicef
Seven years completed
Oct 23, 2013, Radisson Hotel: Drafting history, nothing else was the message highlighted at the annual thank-you dinner for leading newsmakers
Launch of bpl – bdnews24 publishing ltd
Launch of ‘Stripe’, bdnews24.com’s online youth page
SMS news in Bangla script
In another first, bdnews24.com partners with mobile operator Robi
Turning Points 2016 published
March 2016: Turning Points, a joint publication of The New York Times and bdnews24.com, hits the stands
Integrity and innovation: bdnews24.com celebrates 18 years of bold, uncompromising journalism
‘We've won at times, lost at others, but never bowed down. We’ve stood tall again,’ says the bdnews24.com editor-in-chief