Prothom Alo is the largest and most popular newspaper of Bangladesh based on circulation and readership. Recently the daily has completed a long journey of 17 years thanking its 5.5 million readers in 210 countries and territories all across the world. This feature tries to capture the highlights of Prothom Alo’s journey as being one of the most powerful and meaningful brand.

Dawn of a New Tale

Prothom Alo started its journey on 4 November 1998. It has been playing a pivotal role in setting the highest standard of journalism in Bangladesh with impartial and authentic news presentation since then. Prothom Alo (Mediastar Limited) is owned by the Transcom Group, one of the largest conglomerates of Bangladesh. Because of courageous journalism, rich content, and presentation with unique layout and design, this newspaper began winning the hearts of millions of people, even the most sophisticated and fastidious readers extended their loyalty towards it. Since then, Prothom Alo has been lighting up every nook and corner of Bangladesh.

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Instead of taking traditional role it always keeps reinventing itself to stay a step ahead than others. The source of Prothom Alo‘s inspiration is its readers; they are its final arbiters and its ultimate owner. Therefore Prothom Alo considers it as a duty to satisfy readers’ thirsts for information and entertainment through in-depth news as well as with a portfolio of attractive and diversified supplements each and every day.

Prothom Alo (Mediastar Limited) is bringing a monthly magazine – “Kishore Alo” for youngsters since October 2013. Amongst other concerns – Prothoma Prokashon (a publication house) and Protichinta (a quarterly journal on social, political and economic issues) are under the same umbrella.

Reaching Out to People

Among all the dailies published in the country, Prothom Alo has the highest circulation. From press facilities located in Dhaka, Chittagong and Bogra, more than 5 hundred thousand copies are circulated nowadays. According to National Media Survey 2014, every day 4.3 million people read the print edition of Prothom Alo.

On the other hand, the online portal of Prothom Alo (prothom-alo.com) is the Number 1 Bangladeshi as well as Bengali website in the world based on traffic and pageview. Prothom Alo apps and value added services keep users updated and enrich their day to day life. Currently 6.8 million people are following this newspaper through Facebook and 200 thousand are keeping in touch through Twitter. According to Google Analytics, all the digital platforms of Prothom Alo are being accessed by 9 million visitors from 210 countries and territories across the globe in a month; and in a day, Prothom Alo reaches to 1.2 million people through its digital platforms.Altogether, the print and digital version of Prothom Alo is read by 5.5 million people every day.

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For the Nation

Breaking the typical role of a newspaper, Prothom Alo proactively involves itself in various social and philanthropic activities through Prothom Alo Trust. Prothom Alo does not only speak for the people who have been subjected to injustice, it also supports them as much as possible. Major activities of Prothom Alo Trust are combat against acid violence, anti-drug awareness, scholarships to meritorious students, assistance to people affected by natural disasters or accidents, support to persecuted journalists.

Prothom Alo, under the leadership of its Editor, Mr. Matiur Rahman, is also raising public awareness about HIV/AIDS and drug abuse and revealing the role of certain extremist quarters. For his contribution, the Philippines-based Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation honored him with a Magsaysay Award in 2005 for journalism, literature, and creative communication arts.

Prothom Alo also arranges different types of programs, events and competitions regularly throughout the year. Major of such activities are – Math Olympiad, Language Competition, Alphabet Fair, Internet Festival, Children’s Story Writing Competition, Debate Competition, Best Book of the Year Award, Best Sportsman of the Year Award and Best Cultural Performance Award. Iconic collaborative engagements like Dunia Kapano 30 Minutes, Ekattor Er Chithi and Ekattor Er Bir Joddha touched millions of hearts.

Tomorrow’s Guiding Light

Prothom Alo brands’ journey evolved from becoming a nations’ soul searcher to a nations mirror; from a nations mirror to a conscience builder and finally a conscience builder towards tomorrows guiding light.

Prothom Alo as a brand has an extraordinary journey over the course of time. Being the peoples’ voice for past 17 years the story of reaching 5.5 million readers gradually came with an evolution. The readers can easily recall campaigns like – Rukho Acid, Bachao Nari (2002), Ja Kichu Bhalo Tar Sathey Prothom Alo (2005), Bodley Jawar Somoy Holo (2007), Nijeke Bodlatey Hobey Agey (2008), Bodley Jao, Bodley Dao (2009), Desh Ta Maa (2010), Uth Pakhi Noy Manusher Jibon Chai (2011), Bodley Jao, Bodley Dao (2012), Poth Harabe Na Bangladesh (2013), Kalker Prithibita Amader Hobey (2014), and finally in 2015 with a salute to the Nation – Dhonnobad 55 Lakh Pathok. Recently, brand Prothom Alo has been awarded as the number one print media brand in Best Brand Award 2015, organized by Bangladesh Brand Forum (BBF) and Millward Brown.

Promise to the Nation

Prothom Alo worked as a major catalyst through investigative journalism, exploring issues and discovering the truth in past 17 years. Thus bringing quality news and events as it happens within the reach of million Bangladeshis around the globe by lighting up their lives.These seventeen years of service excellence is a firm promise to the nation to strive for information, truth, justice and change.