The channel was launched on 15 September 1999 as
Alpha TV Bangla, along with
Alpha TV Marathi,
Alpha TV Telugu and
Alpha TV Punjabi. It was the first
Bengali-language satellite television channel in India. In February 2020, it was one of the largest Bengali-language television channels in India by viewership. On 30 September 2021,
Bangladesh imposed a blackout on foreign television channels, including Zee Bangla, that broadcast commercials. Two weeks later, Zee Bangla resumed broadcasting in Bangladesh, albeit without the commercials. ==Current programming==