Next stop Bangkok: Bangladesh gears up for Eurovision debut 

With Bangladesh officially confirmed to compete in the inaugural Eurovision Song Contest Asia this November, the focus has now shifted to the actual selection process.

To find the right act for the massive platform, a national reality show titled 'Voice of Bangladesh' will air on 30 September to crown the country's first-ever representative.

The highly anticipated show will now see 12 finalists battle it out for the sole ticket to Bangkok, Thailand. Hosted by popular musician and actor Tahsan Khan, the programme will be broadcast simultaneously on NTV and streaming platform Bongo.

According to the organisers, the initial call for entries drew roughly 50 to 70 submissions from artists across the country. The ultimate winner of the Dhaka finale will be decided through a 50-50 split between public voting and a professional jury score. The heavyweight panel evaluating the contestants features some of the biggest names in the local music scene: Fahmida Nabi, Hamin Ahmed, Bappa Mazumder, Shawkat Ali Emon, and Akhi Alamgir.

Whoever secures the top spot will fly to Thailand later this year to face off against talents from across the continent. Thailand's Channel 3 is hosting the first-ever Asian spin-off of the iconic European music franchise. The live competition will take place at IdeaLive, a sprawling entertainment venue inside the BRAVO BKK complex capable of seating over 4,000 guests.

As of now, 10 countries have locked in their participation for the historic event. Bangladesh will compete against acts from South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Bhutan, Nepal, and the host nation. The grand final will be broadcast live on the official Eurovision YouTube channel, alongside local television broadcasts in all the participating nations.