World Radio Day 2013

13 February 2013 is the day proclaimed by UNESCO and endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly to celebrate radio as a strong, vital and necessary medium for society.

World Radio Day 2013 aims to improve international cooperation between broadcasters and encourage major networks and community radio to promote access to information and freedom of expression over the airwaves.

Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication(BNNRC) is founding member of the International Committee for the World Radio Day (WRD), constituted by agreement among the most representative broadcasting organisations that supported the implementation of World Radio Day within the UN and other international bodies.

In cooperation with UNESCO the WRD Committee encourages all countries to celebrate World Radio Day by planning activities in partnership with regional, national and international broadcasters, NGOs, the media and the public.

Center stage for the activities on 13 February 2013 is a web platform on which all public, private, online and community radio organisations together with radio professionals and listeners worldwide can exchange their views and support for radio. As radio is all about listening, everyone is invited to upload sound bites (one-minute maximum length) to this website and download others for broadcast.

More information on how it works is at www.wrd13.com/uploads/doc/wrd13.urti.org_Functioning_EN_FR.pdf

All radio organisations are also invited to ask their listeners to participate by publishing the promotional banners on their website or by sharing the link on Facebook or Twitter. To download a WRD banner please click here: www.wrd13.com/press

The International World Radio Day Committee consists:

ABU – Asia–Pacific Broadcasting Union

Academia Española de la Radio

AER – Association of European Radios

AIBD – Asia Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development

ASBU – Arab States Broadcasting Union

AUB – The African Union of Broadcasting

AMARC – World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters

BNNRC – Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication

EBU – European Broadcasting Union

IAB – International Association of Broadcasting

ITU –International Telecommunication Union

URTI – International Radio and Television Union

_______________________________________

Bazlu

_______________________

AHM. Bazlur Rahman-S21BR
Chief Executive Officer
Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC)
[NGO in Special Consultative Status with the UN Economic and Social Council]
&
Head, Community Media Academy

House: 13/1, Road: 2, Shaymoli, Dhaka-1207  Bangladesh
Phone:             +88-02-9130750      ,             +88-02-9138501      , Cell: +88 01711881647
Fax: 88-02-9138501-105, 

E-mail: ceo@bnnrc.net, bnnrcbd@gmail.com  www.bnnrc.net

Community Media News Agency in Bangladesh

Community Media for Development in Bangladesh

Bangladesh: Two New Community Radio Stations Approved by Ministry of Information

Dhaka 29 November, 2012: National Regulatory Committee for Community Radio of Ministry of Information, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh has approved two new community radio stations for Bhola and Hatiya Island.

Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) is promoting advocacy with the government in relations to community radio with other organizations since its emergence from 2000.

It is really amazing that till toady 14 community radios are broadcasting 120 hours program in a day! Now community radio is taking place as an essential mass media within the lives of the rural people.

We would like to thanks to Ministry of Information of Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh that they have approved community radio activities with the objectives to achieve empowerment and to ensure right to information of the rural people in line with Community Radio Installation, Broadcast and Operation Policy 2008.

Now 536 young boy and girls are working as rural broadcasters in 14 community radio stations. A total of 125 (98 male and 27 female) are now involved in community radio station management committees from the rural community and trying to achieve the ownership at the local level. The government officials and civil society at upazila/district level have joined in CR station Advisory Committee and started motivating the mass people to take part in local development and entertainment by using community radio as a platform for mutual learning.

In this way, these officials are taking a great role to build a knowledge-based society at rural level. The reality of today is that the bondage between the community people and local-level radio stations are getting strengthened day-by-day. Community Radio has now become their part of life. Community Radio becomes the instrument for the livelihood battle of the rural people.

Community Radio Directory in Bangladesh

We are pleased to present Directory of Community Radios in Bangladesh supported by International Program for the Development of Communication (IPDC) of UNESCO.

The Directory will serve as an easy reference of Community Radio Stations in Bangladesh to development partners, officials of different Ministries of Government, Academia, researchers, media, and other profession groups working or taking interest on issue of community radio for development  in Bangladesh.

It is sincerely hoped that the information and short profile of community radio stations in Bangladesh will be useful to many different users in Bangladesh and abroad.

Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication is promoting the advocacy with the government in relations to community radio with other organizations since its emergence from 2000. BNNRC has been addressing the community radio and community TV access issue for over a decade, helping to bridge the information gap of rural Bangladesh.

The reality of today is that the bondage between the community people and local-level community radio stations are getting strengthened day-by-day. Community Radio has now become their part of life. Community Radio becomes the instrument for the livelihood battle of the rural people.

We have now started advocacy with the government of Bangladesh to open up community television. We hope that community television will come into being within a short time.

Bazlu

_______________________

AHM. Bazlur Rahman-S21BR
Chief Executive Officer
Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC)
[NGO in Special Consultative Status with the UN Economic and Social Council]
&
Head, Community Media Academy

House: 13/1, Road: 2, Shaymoli, Dhaka-1207  Bangladesh
Phone: +88-02-9130750, +88-02-9138501, Cell: +88 01711881647
Fax: 88-02-9138501-105, 

E-mail: ceo@bnnrc.net, bnnrcbd@gmail.com  www.bnnrc.net

 

ইন্টারনেটের নিয়ন্ত্রণ কার কাছে থাকবে? :: তথ্য প্রযুক্তি :: সংবাদ

ইন্টারনেটের নিয়ন্ত্রণ কার কাছে থাকবে? :: তথ্য প্রযুক্তি :: সংবাদ

Live Talk Show on Community Media in Bangladesh

Training workshop on Development News for Community Radio in Bangladesh

Training workshop on

Development News for Community Radio

in Bangladesh

A three day-long training workshop on "Development News” was started on 18 November 2012 at IDB Bhaban Training room, Agargaon, Dhaka for the Community Radio Station staffs. The program was organized by Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) with the support of Free Press Unlimited (FPU).

The objective of the training workshop are  basic understanding and be able to explain on development news for broadcasting through Community Radio, news sources, reporting and its different elements. Clear conception regarding development and development issues and be able to produce quality development news and its broadcasting in line with community radio policy 2008 by Ministry of Information of Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.

Basic knowledge and skill on planning & production and different techniques of its broadcasting

A total of 13 representatives from 13 Community Radio stations from different parts of the country have participated in the training workshop. Mark Manash Saha, Training Coordinator of BNNRC welcomed the participants and invited them for active participation in the session.In the beginning Mark Manash Saha shared the objectives and Daily schedule of the training workshop focusing the importance of “Development News” of the community radio.

The sessions of the day were Development and the context of Bangladesh, Importance of Community Radio in the mainstreaming Development trend of Bangladesh, News, News sources, elements and values, reporting, types of reporting, process and procedure of reporting etc.

Community Media in Bangladesh: Training on Development News and Advertisement for...

Community Media in Bangladesh: Training on Development News and Advertisement for...

Training on Development News and Advertisement for Community Radio in Bangladesh

Community Media in Bangladesh: Media Reform

Community Media in Bangladesh: Media Reform

Media Reform

Two Training Workshop on Development News and Development Advertisement by BNNRC

Regarding Bangkok Declaration 2003+10 in Bangla

31 October, 2012

  

To

Mr. Kazi Akhtar Uddin Ahmed, Director General Bangladesh Betar 

Mr. M Hamid, Director General, Bangladesh Television

Mr. Md. Makbul Ahmed, Director General, National Institute of Mass Communication

&

Mr. Faridur Reza Sagor, Managing Director, Channel i

Mr. Rafiqul Haque, Managing Director, Radio Today FM

Subject: Regarding Draft Bangkok Declaration 2003+10 in Bangla

Dear Sir,

Greetings from Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC)

BNNRC is in Special Consultative Status with the UN Economic and Social Council strives for achieving UN World Summit on the Information Society (UN WSIS) Action Plan.

The Bangkok Declaration 2003+10 was presented before the 38^th Annual Gathering and 11^th AIBD General Conference in Kathmandu, Nepal from 25-27 July 2012.

After nine years AIBD and its key partners met to review the relevance of the document in Bangkok on 13 January 2012 and acknowledged that the Bangkok declaration 2003 continued to remain valid and relevant. However, they incorporated additional recommendations and drafted the document now called the Bangkok Declaration 2003+10.

In May 2003, the first Conference of the Ministers of Information and Broadcasting in Asia and the Pacific region was held in Bangkok. The conference adopted the Bangkok Declaration 2003, which identified five key recommendations covering globalization, cultural diversity, digital divide, public service broadcasting, and human resource development.

It is an important document that serves as a guide for broadcasters in addressing key global issues and concerns. It recommends a total of 10 themes to include globalization, cultural diversity, digital divide, public service broadcasting and human resource development, accountability systems for the media, social media, climate change and disasters, empowerment of women, and media in countries of conflict and in transition states.

The  Bangkok Declaration 2003+10 served as the broadcasters’ contribution to the thematic debate and preparatory meeting to the UN World Summit on the Information Society(UN WSIS) held in Geneva in 2003.

In line with other countries of the world, there are three types of broadcasting system in Bangladesh; these are public service broadcasting, Private broadcasting and Community broadcasting. 

Presently Bangladesh Television, 23 Private Satellite TV Channel, Bangladesh Betar, 6 Private FM Radio and 14 Community Radio stations are broadcasting regular programs.

Now, considering the relevance and importance, we have already translated the Bangkok Declaration into Bangla and would like to publish the declaration document both in Bangla and English version for broadcast media sector in Bangladesh.

As an AIBD full member/ affiliated organization we are pleased to send 1 copy of the Declaration in Bangla version for your kind attention and opinion. I would like to humbly request you to send your comments (if any) before 15^th November 2012. After that we will proceed to print the document.

We expect your kind cooperation in this regard.

AHM.  Bazlur Rahman-S21BR

Chief Executive Officer

Bangladesh NGOs Network for

Radio and Communication

& Head, Community Media Academy

Cc:

Mr. Yang Binyuan, Director, Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD)

2nd Floor, IPPTAR Building, Angkasapuri, 50614 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Mr. Kazi Akhtar Uddin Ahmed [Additional Secretary] Director General, Bangladesh Betar & Vice President, AIBD Executive Board

Community Media in Bangladesh: Letter of Congratulations to President Elect Barac...

Community Media in Bangladesh: Letter of Congratulations to President Elect Barac...: Dhaka Bangladesh 7 November, 2012 The Honorable Barack Obama   United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510 Subject :  Letter of Cong...

Letter of Congratulations to President Elect Barack Obama

Dhaka Bangladesh 7 November, 2012

The Honorable Barack Obama  
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510



Subject: Letter of Congratulations to President Elect Barack Obama


Dear President Elect Obama,

Bangladesh NGOs Network for radio and Communication (BNNRC) extends our heartfelt congratulations on your historic victory.

Congratulations again on your hard-earned victory.

Wishing you great success. 

Please accept our condolences on the loss of your grandmother.

Very respectfully,

Bazlu- S21BR

_______________________

AHM. Bazlur Rahman-S21BR
Chief Executive Officer
Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC)
[NGO in Special Consultative Status with the UN Economic and Social Council]
&
Head, Community Media Academy

House: 13/1, Road: 2, Shaymoli, Dhaka-1207  Bangladesh
Phone: +88-02-9130750, +88-02-9138501, Cell: +88 01711881647
Fax: 88-02-9138501-105, 

E-mail: ceo@bnnrc.net, bnnrcbd@gmail.com  www.bnnrc.net

Regarding Including us to World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from 3-14 December 2012 with Bangladesh Delegation

5 November, 2012

To
Advocate Sahara Khatun
Hon’ble Minister
Ministry of Posts & Telecommunications
Bangladesh Secretariat
Dhaka 1000

Subject: Regarding Including us to World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from 3-14 December 2012 with Bangladesh Delegation

Dear Hon’ble Minister,
Greetings from Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC)
BNNRC is in Special Consultative Status with the UN Economic and Social Council & accredited with UN World Summit on Information Society (UN WSIS).

BNNRC is a national networking body working for building a democratic society based on the principles of free flow of information, equitable & affordable access to Information & Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D) of remote & marginalized population through;

Right to Information for ensuring improved livelihood of the marginalized 
ICT for Development for Bridging the Digital Divide in rural areas
Community Radio/Community Television for amplifying voices for the voiceless & Amateur Radio for Disaster Risk Reduction & Telecommunication for Empowerment 

Dear Hon’ble Minister,

We write to express our desire to participate in an open public national consultation and Bangladesh Delegation as the government of Bangladesh prepares for the World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from 3-14 December 2012.

As you may be aware, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has historically played an important role in the areas of spectrum management, telecommunications regulation, and promoting the use of information and telecommunications technology for development. Yet, we have great concerns regarding the transparency of the WCIT preparatory process and some of the proposed revisions to the International Telecommunication Regulations (ITRs) currently being considered by some ITU member states which could expand the scope of the ITRs to include issues of internet policy.

The continued success of the internet depends on the full, equal, and meaningful participation of multiple stakeholders in technical management of and decision-making for information and communications technology.

Indeed, the Bangladesh government made a commitment to a multi-stakeholder approach to information and communications technology management and decision-making at the UN World Summit on Information Society (UN WSIS)

In line with the WSIS commitments, we respectfully request an open, transparent, and inclusive national consultation to solicit input on proposed amendments to the ITRs from all relevant stakeholders.
To this end, we ask that you release all of Bangladesh proposed revisions to the ITRs for public debate and clarify your stance on whether the scope of the ITRs should be expanded to include areas of internet policy making.

We are particularly concerned with proposals that could impact the exercise of human rights in the digital age, including freedom of expression, access to information, and privacy rights, as well as those that would undermine the openness and integrity of the global internet. We recall the recent UN Human Rights Council resolution which asserted that governments have a duty to protect human rights online.

The undersigned Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC)
welcome the opportunity to engage with Bangladesh delegation in the preparatory process and at the WCIT itself, consistent with the WSIS commitments.

We urge you to ensure the outcomes of the WCIT truly represent the common interests of all who have a stake in the future of our information society. We hope that we can work together to address these issues in an inclusive and transparent manner.

We look forward to a formal response to this letter.

With best regards,

AHM. Bazlur Rahman-S21BR

Chief Executive Officer

Bangladesh NGOs Network for

Radio and Communication

Cc:
Mr. Hasanul Huq Inu, MP 
Hon’ble Minister, Ministry of Information

Md. Abu Bakar Siddique,
Secretary, Ministry of Posts & Telecommunications

Mr. Sunil Kanti Bose
Chairman, Bangladesh Telecommunication
Regulatory Commission (BTRC)

Statement of civil society members and groups participating in the "Best Bits" pre-IGF meeting at Baku in 2012

Statement of civil society members and groups participating in the "Best Bits" pre-IGF meeting at Baku in 2012

We thank the Secretariat of the ITU for making the opportunity to submit our views.

 

Nevertheless, the process of the revision of the International Telecommunication Regulations (ITRs) has not been sufficiently inclusive and transparent, despite some recent efforts to facilitate public participation.  Fundamental to the framing of public policy must be the pursuit of the public interest and fundamental human rights, and we urge Member States to uphold and protect these values.    

 

We as civil society organizations wish to engage with the World Conference on International Telecommunication (WCIT) process in this spirit. Member States, in most cases, have not held open, broad-based, public consultations in the lead up to the WCIT, nor have they indicated such a process for the WCIT itself. 

 

In order to address this deficiency, and at a minimum, we would urge: 

* All Member States and regional groups to make their proposals available to the public in sufficient time to allow for meaningful public participation; 

* All delegates to support proposals to open sessions of the WCIT meeting to the public;   

* The ITU Secretariat to increase transparency of the WCIT including live webcast with the video, audio, and text transcripts, as far as possible, to enable participation by all, including persons with disabilities; 

* The ITU Secretariat, Member States, and regional groups to make as much documentation publicly available as possible on the ITU's website, so that civil society can provide substantive input on proposals as they are made available; 

* Member States to encourage and facilitate civil society participation their national delegations;  

* The ITU to create spaces during the WCIT for civil society to express their views, as was done during the WSIS process. 

 

Given the uncertainty about the nature of final proposals that will be presented, we urge delegates that the following criteria be applied to any proposed revisions of the ITRs. 

 

* That any proposed revisions are confined to the traditional scope of the ITRs, where international regulation is required around technical issues limited to telecommunications networks and interoperability standards. 

* There should be no revisions to the ITRs that involve regulation of the Internet Protocol and the layers above. 

* There should be no revisions that could have a negative impact on affordable access to the Internet or the public's rights to privacy and freedom of expression. 

 

More generally we call upon the ITU to promote principles of net neutrality, open standards, affordable access and universal service, and effective competition.

Signatories:

Access (Brett Solomon)

Centre for Internet and Society (Pranesh Prakash)

Center for Democracy & Technology

Consumers International

Electronic Frontier Finland (Tapani Tarvainen)

Global Partners & Associates (Andrew Puddephatt)

InternetNZ

ONG Derechos Digitales (Claudio Ruiz)

OpenMedia (Steve Anderson)

Endorsements:

Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (AHM. Bazlur Rahman)

Community Media in Bangladesh: Bhola Government College 50 Years

Community Media in Bangladesh: Bhola Government College 50 Years

Bhola Government College 50 Years

heartfelt condolence from Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) regarding monster storm Sandy

Dhaka, 31 October 2012

His Excellency

Mr. Dan Mozena

Ambassador

Embassy of the United States of America in Bangladesh

Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka

Dear Sir,

Please accept our heartfelt condolence from Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC). BNNRC is promoting the advocacy with the government in relations to community radio & community TV with other organizations since its emergence from 2000.

We learnt with sorrow the loss of life, injuries, human displacements, and the extensive damage to property and infrastructure resulting from yesterday`s monster storm Sandy that has hit New York City, Connecticut, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia  and a wide swathe of the eastern United States.

We are saddened by death and damages that the storm is causing on its path. Our condolences to the American people and especially the families of those who lost their lives in this disaster and we would like thank to U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency for their great work.

  

I have asked my staff members of BNNRC and Amateur Radio Holder in Bangladesh to remain on standby and to provide any assistance in the domain of emergency communication that might be required in assisting the post disaster operation from Bangladesh. Accept, Sir, the assurance of our highest consideration.

With Solidarity,

AHM. Bazlur Rahman-S21BR

Chief Executive Officer

Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication

[NGO in Special Consultative Status with the UN Economic and Social Council]

& Head, Community Media Academy

Cc:       Mission Director, USAID

            Director, The American Center

            Director, EMK Center