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.