a. New Director General in Bangladesh Betar

Kazi Akhtar Uddin Ahmed joined Bangladesh Betar as Director General on 26 April, 2012. Previously he was working in the Ministry of Home Affairs as Additional Secretary. He succeeds AKM Shameem Chowdhuri. Mr. Ahmed was born on 1st March 1958 in Patuakhali district. He completed his Master's Degree with honors in English in 1982 from Jahangirnagar University. He joined Bangladesh Civil Service in 1982. Mr. Ahmed worked in different positions of the Government of Bangladesh. He is now Additional Secretary to the government.

b. Prime minister inaugurates 1000-kilowatt MW transmitter of Bangladesh Betar at Dhamrai

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina formally launched 1000- Kilowatt MW transmitter of the Bangladesh Betar by pressing a button at the Super power Transmission Centre, Dhamrai near Dhaka on December 09, 2009 . She was talking to local people in a video conference after inaugurating the newly installed 1000-kilowatt medium-wave transmitter. The prime minister understand the need for building a science and technology based modern Bangladesh free from hunger and poverty by implementing the "Vision 2021". The Prime Minister said her government, after assuming office through a free, fair and credible election on December 29, is working relentlessly to build a self-reliant Bangladesh through implementing it election pledge. She said apart from bringing down the prices of essential commodities, her government has undertaken various programmes for self-employment of the country's young generation.

Information Secretary Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury briefed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina about the transmitter, its utility and on the whole of the installation project. Information Minister Abul Kalam Azad, members of parliament, high officials of Bangladesh Betar including Md. Mahbubul Alam, DG, Bangladesh Betar and a large number of local people were present on the occasion.

Project in a brief:

• The project ended in June 2009.
• To strengthen the MW radio broadcasting of Bangladesh Betar, Dhaka by replacing the 36 year-worn out valve type 1000KW Medium Wave(MW) transmitter by a new solid-state 1000KW MW transmitter.
• Efficiency of the new transmitter will be much better than the existing one. 95% area of the country will be covered by this high quality transmitter.
• The new transmitter has the energy saving provisions which will be helpful to avoid huge electricity consumption.
• The new modern solid -state transmitter is compatible to future DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale) broadcast.
• A generator of 1500KVA is included to meet power failures.
• Cost (revised) about 350 million (BDT) .