Bangladesh Television (BTV) spent more than Tk254 crore while earning only Tk8.05 crore during the first 11 months of fiscal year 2025-26, Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan told parliament on Monday.

Responding to a question from lawmaker Fazle Huda, the minister also said advertising revenue accounted for Tk5.07 crore.

Data presented in parliament showed BTV has remained heavily loss-making over the past five fiscal years. In FY2024-25, its income was Tk27.64 crore while expenditure reached Tk307.92 crore. 

In 2022-23, income was Tk44.21 crore and spending was Tk298.57 crore. 

The minister also said the government’s fact-checking initiative, BanglaFact, had published 783 fact-checks, investigative reports and analytical pieces, including 229 since the current administration assumed office.

Authorities have identified 16 websites allegedly spreading propaganda and misinformation while imitating established news organizations, alongside more than 300 Facebook accounts and 199 X accounts accused of disseminating false or misleading information, he added.

Swapan told lawmakers that Bangladesh currently has 55 licensed private television channels, of which 39 are operational, as well as 1,436 daily newspapers and 474 registered online news portals.