# 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.

Last updated: 2026-10-08 · HTML: https://console.kolwrite.com/speech-to-text/bengali

## 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`.

```bash
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):

```bash
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

| Property | Details |
| --- | --- |
| API code | `bn` |
| Native name | বাংলা |
| Writing direction | Left to right |
| Automatic detection | Yes: omit `language` or send `"auto"` |
| Translate Bengali audio into | Any of the 100 supported languages, on Oracle models |
| Translate other languages into Bengali | Yes: `translate_to: "bn"` on Oracle models |
| Output | JSON (segments, word timings, speakers), TXT, SRT |
| Price | US$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](https://console.kolwrite.com/models).

## 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.

## Related pages

- [Hindi speech-to-text](https://console.kolwrite.com/speech-to-text/hindi)
- [Urdu speech-to-text](https://console.kolwrite.com/speech-to-text/urdu)
- [English speech-to-text](https://console.kolwrite.com/speech-to-text/english)
- [Language research & linguistics](https://console.kolwrite.com/use-cases/researchers)
- [Media, podcasts & subtitles](https://console.kolwrite.com/use-cases/media)
- [Supported languages](https://console.kolwrite.com/languages/)

---
Get an API key: https://console.kolwrite.com/auth · API documentation: https://console.kolwrite.com/public_api_docs · llms.txt: https://console.kolwrite.com/llms.txt