Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS)
Founded on 1 January 1972, in the wake of Bangladesh’s liberation, Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) is the country’s official state newswire, headquartered in Dhaka. It operates under government ownership and oversight, with Mahbub Morshed serving as Managing Director and Chief Editor
Media assets
News agency: BSS
State Media Matrix Typology
Ownership and governance
BSS was created as a state-owned institution under a 1979 ordinance (later amended), and is administered by a government-appointed Board of Directors reporting to the Ministry of Information. In July 2020, AAMS Arefin Siddique, former Vice‑Chancellor of Dhaka University, was named chairman of the board. Following his passing in March 2025, his legacy as a scholar and educator was commemorated with public tributes.
A recent proposal, endorsed in 2025 and featured in The Financial Express, recommends reorganizing BSS (alongside Bangladesh Betar and BTV) under a legally independent Public Broadcasting Trust, governed by a board comprising media professionals, civil society figures, academics, and jurists. The move is part of the media reform activities carried out by the government after the collapse of Sheikh Hasina regime in August 2024.
As of August 2024, leadership of BSS passed to Mahbub Morshed, who is the current Managing Director and Chief Editor. Morshed is a seasoned journalist with decades of experience in government media. His appointment came during a period of media reform and political transition in Bangladesh following Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation in 2024. Under his leadership, BSS began reevaluating its editorial practices and restructuring to align with transparency and independence goals promoted by the Media Reform Commission in 2025.
Source of funding and budget
The agency is primarily financed through state budget allocations, with its accounts audited by the Ministry of Information. Although BSS generates some revenue via commercial services, the bulk of its funding comes directly from government coffers.
Editorial independence
As Bangladesh’s official state news outlet, BSS’s editorial line traditionally mirrors government policy. Its dispatches often present the administration in a positive light, and there are no statutory protections or independent oversight to guarantee editorial autonomy.
However, since the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on 6 August 2024 and the ensuing interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, the media landscape has begun shifting. A Media Reform Commission, established in September 2024 under Information Adviser Nahid Islam, is tasked with reducing political influence over state media.
July 2025