Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication represents the community media sector to Government, Industry, Regulatory Bodies, Media and Development Partners.

Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication

Field 1

Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication represents the community media sector to Government, Industry, Regulatory Bodies, Media and Development Partners. 

                                                          

BNNRC’s work has a strategic emphasis and the organization was been intensely involved in Community Media sector with Government, Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission and other strategic bodies.

BNNRC's outreach extends to local, national and international forums for communicating Knowledge for Development.  Our working strategies are:

·         Communicating on the Public Sphere

·         Communicating Knowledge

·         Civil Rights in Communication

·         Cultural Rights in Communication.

Field 2

Vision: BNNRC does like to see the rural people have the easy, quick and low cost access to global communication so that they are enriched and updated by knowledge.

Mission: BNNRC organize strategically important activities, studies, and advocacy so that the population of the rural areas will have easy, manageable and low cost communication facilities.

Field 3 

Now 14 Community Radio Stations are on-air in the country, aiming to ensure empowerment and right to information for the rural community. They are broadcasting altogether 120 hours program per day 1000 Youth Women & Youth are now working with those Stations throughout the country as rural broadcasters

Potentials of BNNRC program

Community Radio has created scope for the poor and marginalized community to raise their own

voice; it becomes the voice for the voiceless. Scope widened for poverty reduction and

sustainable development because of the rights to raise voice of the community and accessibility

to knowledge and information. Scope opened for exchange of dialogue between local elected

representatives, govt. and NGO professionals for the sake of establishing good governance. 

Community Radio is now able to play more active role in Disaster Risk

Reduction

Field 4

By having the Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations since 2010, BNNRC has been intensely working to contribute in achieving UN Mandates.

All of its programs and projects are dedicated specifically to support the WSIS Action Plan-C9 and UN Convention against Corruption (UN CAC). It has been implementing projects in partnership with UNSECO, UNICEF and FAO for the growth of community media sector in Bangladesh. Other than implementing capacity enhancement projects for community media

BNNRC is observing World Press Freedom day and World Radio day  every year and organize different programs like seminar, talk show, rally in partnership with community radio stations, government ministries and CBOs at local and national level. All of these programs highlight and reflect the theme and mandates of UN and thus contribute in promotion of UN objectives.

Field 5

BNNRC has joined in UN CSTD meeting in the year 2011.  

Field 6 

In recent years, BNNRC has successfully implemented a couple of projects under financial and technical assistance some of those:

i.                    Empowering Communities: Strengthening and Building Capacity of the Community Radio in Bangladesh (September 2010-December 2011)-supported by UNICEF Bangladesh.

ii.                  Small Scale Funding for consultation with Radio                Listeners Groups

And the Community (26 June 2012- 31 July 2012) - supported by UNICEF Bangladesh.

iii.                Capacity Building of Community Radio Personal in Bangladesh (April 2010- December 2010) – supported by UNESCO India (IPDC).

iv.                Enhancing Rural         Communication Services for Agricultural Development through Community Rural Radio (December 2010-December 2011)-supported by FAO.

v.                  Flagship UN Action for Community Radio in Bangladesh (ended in November 2013) – supported by UNESCO IPDC

Field 7   

All the initiatives taken by BNNRC essentially comply with Millennium Development Goals. By using the community media effectively, its activities particularly target to contribute in achieving the goal of  4.6 million people.

BNNRC translated MDGs in Bangla and publish it in booklet and handbook on community radio. Still BNNRC is providing capacity building related support on MDG to the all community radio station.

BNNRC is now in a process  on post-2015 MDGs to SDGs in line with UN thematic perspectives.

 Field 8    

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.

Dhaka Bangladesh 8 May 2014

H E Joe Hockey MP

Hon’ble Treasurer of Commonwealth of Australia

House of Representatives

Parliament House

Canberra ACT 2600, Australia

Subject:           Regarding Ensure a Future for Community Broadcasting by making sure Funding to Community Radio Stations is not cut in the upcoming Budget - or anytime in the future in Australia.

Dear Hon’ble Minister,

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

BNNRC is in special consultative status with Economic and Social Council of United Nations.

BNNRC represents the community media sector (Community radio, Community TV and Community film) to Government, Industry, Regulatory Bodies, Media and Development Partners in Bangladesh.

We know how vital community radio stations are for millions of Australians like us in Bangladesh, which is why we are so concerned about the Commission of Audit's recommendation that funding for the Community Broadcasting Program be abolished.

Without funding, our community radio stations could be forced off air. We would be very happy if you to ensure a future for community broadcasting by making sure funding to our community radio stations is not cut in the upcoming budget - or anytime in the future.

Community radio provides vital content for so many different communities, especially Indigenous, ethnic, seniors, youth, the vision impaired, religious, and the arts. We can't afford to lose any of the stations who provide the local content that commercial and public broadcasters can't or won't cater for.

We are hopeful that you and the Federal Government can see the Commission of Audit's recommendation for what it is - a sure fire way to undo the vital work community broadcasting has done to promote the identities of local communities and the invaluable contribution it makes to social inclusion.

With over five million Australians tuning in every week, community radio is integral to Australia's broadcasting landscape. It's critical for media diversity, specialist programming and promoting local Australian content. Government cuts to funding would cripple the community broadcasting sector's operations and development and leave millions of Australians without access to the media content they rely on.

Please commit to keeping our community radio stations on air in Australia.

With best regards,

AHM Bazlur Rahman- S21BR

Chief Executive Officer | ceo@bnnrc.net