Bengali newspapers are among the most widely read in India, and Kolkata has been one of the country's great newspaper cities for more than a century. For a brand, an institution or a founder with a story in West Bengal, these titles still shape what people talk about, at home, in offices and on WhatsApp forwards of the morning paper.
This list ranks the leading Bengali-language dailies published in India. The first five are ranked by the most recent full Indian Readership Survey (IRS 2019 Q4, MRUC), measured as average issue readership in West Bengal. The other five have no comparable audited figure, so we have ordered them by the reach of their editions. For each paper you will find the basics, what it is known for, and how it fits a PR plan. If you are planning coverage, our Bengali press release distribution page explains how we write for and distribute to these desks.
Key takeaways
- Anandabazar Patrika and Bartaman lead by a wide margin: together they account for most Bengali newspaper readership in West Bengal (IRS 2019 Q4).
- Ei Samay, Uttarbanga Sambad and Sangbad Pratidin complete the audited top five. Uttarbanga Sambad is the paper for North Bengal.
- Bengali readers outside West Bengal are served by Dainik Jugasankha in Assam and Dainik Sambad in Tripura.
- A story written in Bengali, with a local angle, travels much further than an English release translated at the last minute.
The list at a glance
| Newspaper | Founded | Publisher | Based in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Anandabazar Patrika | 1922 | ABP Group | Kolkata |
| 2. Bartaman | 1984 | Bartaman Pvt Ltd | Kolkata |
| 3. Ei Samay | 2012 | Tidings Media (launched by the Times Group) | Kolkata |
| 4. Uttarbanga Sambad | 1980 | Talukdar family | Siliguri |
| 5. Sangbad Pratidin | 1992 | Founded by Swapan Sadhan Bose | Kolkata |
| 6. Aajkaal | 1981 | Aajkaal Publishers (Techno India Group) | Kolkata |
| 7. Ganashakti | 1967 | Ganashakti Trust | Kolkata |
| 8. Dainik Jugasankha | c. 1950 | Sankha Group of Publications | Silchar |
| 9. Dainik Sambad | 1971 | Bhupendra Chandra Datta Bhowmik Trust | Agartala |
| 10. Dainik Statesman | 2004 | The Statesman Ltd | Kolkata |
1. Anandabazar Patrikaআনন্দবাজার পত্রিকা
- Founded
- 13 March 1922
- Publisher
- ABP Group
- Based in
- Kolkata
- Website
- anandabazar.com
Anandabazar Patrika is the flagship of the ABP Group and the most-read Bengali newspaper in India. It began in 1922 as a four-page evening paper and grew into the reference daily for Bengali readers, with deep coverage of state politics, business, culture and Kolkata life.
In IRS 2019 Q4 it recorded an average issue readership of about 3.03 million and a total readership of about 12.9 million in West Bengal, comfortably ahead of every other Bengali daily.
2. Bartamanবর্তমান
- Founded
- 1984
- Publisher
- Bartaman Pvt Ltd
- Based in
- Kolkata
- Website
- bartamanpatrika.com
Bartaman was launched in 1984 by the journalist Barun Sengupta after he left the ABP Group, and it quickly became Anandabazar's main rival. It is known for a direct, readable style and strong coverage of politics and public affairs.
IRS 2019 Q4 placed it a close second, with an average issue readership of about 2.75 million and total readership above 10 million. Besides Kolkata, it publishes editions from Siliguri, Bardhaman and Midnapore.
3. Ei Samayএই সময়
- Founded
- 15 October 2012
- Publisher
- Tidings Media and Communication
- Based in
- Kolkata
- Website
- eisamay.com
Ei Samay was launched by the Times Group in 2012 to reach younger, urban Bengali readers, with a brisker design and lifestyle, technology and city coverage alongside news. In May 2024 the Times Group sold the paper to Tidings Media and Communication.
IRS 2019 Q4 recorded an average issue readership of about 0.83 million, third among Bengali dailies on that measure.
4. Uttarbanga Sambadউত্তরবঙ্গ সংবাদ
- Founded
- 19 May 1980
- Publisher
- Talukdar family
- Based in
- Siliguri
- Website
- uttarbangasambad.com
Uttarbanga Sambad began in Siliguri in 1980 and remains the paper of North Bengal, with editions from Siliguri, Cooch Behar, Malda and Alipurduar. It covers the hills, the Dooars, the tea belt and the border districts in a way Kolkata papers rarely do.
In IRS 2019 Q4 its average issue readership was about 0.5 million, fourth among Bengali dailies.
5. Sangbad Pratidinসংবাদ প্রতিদিন
- Founded
- 9 August 1992
- Founder
- Swapan Sadhan Bose
- Based in
- Kolkata
- Website
- sangbadpratidin.in
Sangbad Pratidin is a Kolkata general-news daily founded in 1992, with editions from Kolkata, Barjora and Siliguri. It is widely read for state politics, sport and entertainment.
Its readership profile is broad: IRS 2019 Q4 measured total readership of about 3.7 million, third among Bengali dailies on that measure, and average issue readership of about 0.49 million.
6. Aajkaalআজকাল
- Founded
- 1981
- Publisher
- Aajkaal Publishers (Techno India Group)
- Based in
- Kolkata
- Website
- aajkaal.in
Aajkaal is a long-established Kolkata daily, now owned by the Techno India Group, with editions from Kolkata, Siliguri and Agartala and an evening paper, Sandhya Aajkaal. It is known for its sports and culture coverage.
There is no IRS 2019 Q4 figure for Aajkaal, so it is placed here on the reach of its editions rather than on audited readership.
7. Ganashaktiগণশক্তি
- Founded
- 1967
- Publisher
- Ganashakti Trust
- Based in
- Kolkata
- Website
- ganashakti.com
Ganashakti began in 1967 and is the publication of the CPI(M) in West Bengal, with editions from Kolkata, Durgapur and Siliguri. It is read for its political, labour and policy coverage.
No current IRS figure is available for Ganashakti.
8. Dainik Jugasankhaদৈনিক যুগশঙ্খ
- Founded
- c. 1950
- Publisher
- Sankha Group of Publications
- Based in
- Silchar
- Website
- dainikjugasankha.in
Dainik Jugasankha began in Silchar and is described as the largest-circulated Bengali daily in Assam. It publishes from Silchar and Guwahati and has extended to Kolkata, Siliguri and Durgapur.
It is the main route to Bengali readers in the Barak Valley and across Assam. No IRS figure is available.
9. Dainik Sambadদৈনিক সংবাদ
- Founded
- 1971
- Publisher
- Bhupendra Chandra Datta Bhowmik Trust
- Based in
- Agartala
- Website
- dainiksambad.net
Dainik Sambad is published from Agartala and is regarded as Tripura's largest-circulated daily. Bengali is the main language of Tripura, so it reaches a large share of the state's readers.
No IRS figure is available for Dainik Sambad.
10. Dainik Statesmanদৈনিক স্টেটসম্যান
- Founded
- 28 June 2004
- Publisher
- The Statesman Ltd
- Based in
- Kolkata
- Website
- dainikstatesmannews.com
Dainik Statesman is the Bengali sister paper of The Statesman, launched in 2004, with editions from Kolkata, Siliguri and Durgapur. It carries the parent paper's measured, news-first approach into Bengali.
No IRS figure is available for Dainik Statesman.
How we ranked these newspapers
Readership is the fairest single measure of a newspaper's reach, and the Indian Readership Survey is the industry standard. The last full round, IRS 2019 Q4 (published by MRUC in 2020), lists five Bengali dailies for West Bengal, ranked by average issue readership: Anandabazar Patrika, Bartaman, Ei Samay, Uttarbanga Sambad and Sangbad Pratidin. Those are our first five.
Aajkaal, Ganashakti, Dainik Jugasankha, Dainik Sambad and Dainik Statesman have no comparable audited figure, so we have ordered them by the reach of their editions. We have not used circulation figures, because the published numbers for several titles conflict.
How to get coverage in Bengali newspapers
Three things decide whether a Bengali desk runs a story. The first is relevance to readers in Bengal: a local benefit, a local face or a local number. The second is language: a release written in Bengali by a native writer reads as news, while a hurried translation reads as an advertisement. The third is timing and geography: Kolkata desks, district editions and North Bengal papers work to different calendars.
For announcements on a fixed date, Bengali press release distribution and clearly labelled sponsored formats are dependable. Editorial coverage cannot be bought or guaranteed; we pursue it only, where there is time to build the story and the relationships. For campaigns across several states, see our regional PR distribution options.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the most-read Bengali newspaper in India?
Anandabazar Patrika. In IRS 2019 Q4 it recorded an average issue readership of about 3.03 million in West Bengal, ahead of Bartaman at about 2.75 million.
Which Bengali newspaper is best for North Bengal?
Uttarbanga Sambad, published from Siliguri with editions in Cooch Behar, Malda and Alipurduar. Bartaman and Sangbad Pratidin also publish Siliguri editions.
Are there Bengali newspapers outside West Bengal?
Yes. Dainik Jugasankha serves Bengali readers in Assam, especially the Barak Valley, and Dainik Sambad is the leading daily in Tripura. Aajkaal also publishes an Agartala edition.
Is The Telegraph a Bengali newspaper?
No. The Telegraph is an English daily published from Kolkata by the ABP Group. It is widely read in West Bengal, but this list covers Bengali-language papers only.
Can I get my press release published in Anandabazar Patrika?
Editorial coverage is decided by the paper's journalists and cannot be guaranteed. Press release distribution and sponsored formats are available for fixed-date announcements. For editorial coverage, media relations builds the story and takes it to the right desk.
Should a press release for Bengali media be written in Bengali?
Yes. A release written in Bengali by a native writer is far more likely to be used than an English release or a machine translation.
