‘Sisimpur’ to run for 5 more years

Popular children’s TV series ‘Sisimpur’, the Bangladeshi version of ‘Sesame Street,’ will be aired on Bangladesh Television (BTV) for five more years, according to a recent press statement. A tripartite broadcasting agreement was signed between the Bangladesh Ministry of Women and Child Affairs, Bangladesh Television and Sesame Workshop Bangladesh, the production company of Sisimpur, on Sunday.

Director General of Shishu Academy Md Shariful Islam on behalf of the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs, Bangladesh Television Director General Md Sohrab Hossain and Sesame Workshop Bangladesh Country Managing Director Mohammad Shah Alam were present at the event and signed the extension agreement.

As a result of this renewed agreement, the favourite children’s entertainment and educational program of Bangladesh will be broadcast daily on BTV for the next five years. The cost of broadcasting the program on BTV will be borne by the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs. The production is being organized by Sesame Workshop Bangladesh with the financial support of USAID Bangladesh.

In 2022, Sisimpur won the globally acclaimed Kidscreen Award for its children’s programmes.

This series is very popular among local children and has been continuously broadcast on BTV since April 15, 2005. Along with the broadcast, all other digital and school-based activities of ‘Sisimpur’ will also continue.

The first season of the series featured 26 episodes, and the second season of 36 episodes started production from 9 February 2005.

USAID committed US$7 million in funding over the first three years. It is Bangladesh’s first children’s educational program and was expected to be seen by 4 million children in its first two years.

The creation of ‘Sisimpur’ in Bangladesh was described in detail in the 2005 award-winning documentary ‘The World According to Sesame Street.’