Twenty-one officials from Bangladesh Television (BTV) are set to travel to England, Belgium, and Germany to learn about digital broadcasting and inspect equipment under the contractor’s sponsorship. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has issued government orders for the trips, scheduled between April 4 and May 1, 2026. Thirteen officials will attend factory training in Germany and Belgium, while eight others will conduct pre-shipment inspections of digital transmitters and related equipment. The visits are part of the nationwide digital terrestrial broadcasting project for BTV.

The project, initially approved in 2018 under then Information Minister Hasan Mahmud, has faced allegations of corruption and conflict of interest. Originally budgeted at Tk 260 crore, the cost was later increased to Tk 329 crore. Reports indicate that several officials included in the trips are not BTV engineers but ministry staff or officers on deputation. The contractor will cover all travel expenses, though the ministry’s orders describe the funding source as the “inviting organization.”

Information Minister Yasser Khan Chowdhury stated that the government has no financial involvement in the trips and that the visits aim to enhance officials’ technical experience.