Language code: bn

Bengali speech-to-text API (বাংলা)

KolWrite transcribes Bengali (Bangla) audio and video into Bengali script with one API call: send "language": "bn" and get timed segments with speaker labels as JSON, TXT or SRT. Oracle models translate Bengali into English or 99 other languages.

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Transcribe Bengali with one request

Set language to bn and start a job. Poll GET /transcribe/{jobId} for the result, or pass a webhook_url.

curl https://app.kolwrite.com/transcribe \
  -H "x-api-key: $KOLWRITE_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"audio_url": "https://example.com/interview-bn.m4a", "model": "oracle", "language": "bn", "include_diarization": true, "output_format": "json"}'

Translate Bengali audio into English in the same job (Oracle models only):

curl https://app.kolwrite.com/transcribe \
  -H "x-api-key: $KOLWRITE_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"audio_url": "https://example.com/interview-bn.m4a", "model": "oracle_mini", "language": "bn", "translate_to": "en", "output_format": "srt"}'

Bengali at a glance

PropertyDetails
API codebn
Native nameবাংলা
Writing directionLeft to right
Automatic detectionYes: omit language or send "auto"
Translate Bengali audio intoAny of the 100 supported languages, on Oracle models
Translate other languages into BengaliYes: translate_to: "bn" on Oracle models
OutputJSON (segments, word timings, speakers), TXT, SRT
PriceUS$0.48 (Base) to US$3.60 (Oracle Max) per audio hour; US$1.44 on Oracle

What to know about Bengali transcription

  • Bengali script uses conjunct consonants that some fonts and terminals render poorly. Check your display font before judging the transcript.
  • Bangladesh and West Bengal share one code, bn, with different accents and some vocabulary. Test both if you serve both.
  • Bengali speech mixes in English terms; send bn explicitly on mixed recordings.

Where teams use Bengali transcription

  • Bengali news, talk shows and YouTube subtitles.
  • Customer calls in Bangladesh and India.
  • NGO and research interviews translated with translate_to: "en".

Choosing a model

Start with oracle (US$1.44 per hour) for production Bengali audio. Use base (US$0.48) for clean, single-speaker recordings at volume, oracle_mini (US$0.96) for the cheapest translation, and oracle_pro or oracle_max for noisy or difficult audio. KolWrite does not publish a Bengali accuracy figure for this API, so test a sample of your own recordings before committing. Full comparison: models and prices.

Questions and answers

Why does Bengali text look broken on my screen?

Usually a font that lacks Bengali conjuncts. The transcript is standard Unicode Bengali.

Can I translate Bengali to English?

Yes, with an Oracle model and translate_to: "en".

Is Sylheti supported?

Sylheti is not listed separately. Test it as bn on your own recordings.

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