"We appreciate and welcome BNNRC for bringing WSIS prize 2016 to Bangladesh," Information Secretary Mortuza Ahmad

DHAKA, May 15, 2016 (BSS)- Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communications (BNNRC) has won a category prize from the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) this year.

The NGO received the prize in the 'mass media category', one of the 18 categories for WSIS Prize, and it was handed over to BNNRC's chief executive officer AHM Bazlur Rahman in Geneva on May 3, Information Ministry sources said here today.

"We appreciate and welcome BNNRC for bringing this prize to Bangladesh," Information Secretary Mortuza Ahmad told AHM Bazlur Rahman when he called on him at his information ministry office here.
He said the credit for the award should go to 60 women journalists who have been working for the 16 community radios across the country.

The Information Secretary said this was a great recognition to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who has pioneered community radio in Bangladesh. He said the award came for a successful project carried out by BNNRC in rural areas between 2013 and 2015.

The project identified talented rural women and trained them for print and broadcast journalism to get employed in local press and community radio programmes.

The rural journalists produced 500 feature stories and 800 radio programmes on health, child marriage, violence against women and social injustices during the period.

Community Radio Stations in Coastal Bangladesh in addressing Cyclone ROANU in Disaster Risk Reduction

As part of addressing the risk of Cyclone ROANU, eight community radio (CR) stations in the coastal region of Bangladesh broadcast 348 hours program hours for 3 days continuously from May 19 to May 21, 2016

The Community Radio stations broadcast and served on 24-hours basis to keep alert the community during and after the cyclone Rohnau hit in the coastal belt of the country. There are eight community radio stations situated in the coastal region that played a big role in saving people’s lives and assets.

Following the cyclone warning signals the stations started broadcasting from 19 May afternoon and continued non-stop till midnight of 21^st May. During the time they have broadcasted 348 hours, of those 187 hours are fully around the message and information on cyclone-Roanu, the disaster, it’s after-effects and what should be done for the community.

The CR stations continuously broadcast the updates by increasing their previous air-time in line with the "Standing Orders on Disaster (SOD) of Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh".

The stations collected updated information from Meteorological Department, the disaster cells and local control room set up by the District and Upazila administrative authority. As there was no electricity in the area during the time, they were to depend fully on the generator and keep the broadcasting service un-interrupted.

 The community radio stations maintained full-time liaison with the disaster monitoring cells at district and Upazila administration. They also kept contact and collected updated information from the Red Cresent volunteers and the scouts who were working hard with the disaster-prone community.Along with broadcasting message and PSAs received from the local government authority, they also broadcasted their own programs which they have learned and produced through training and their experiences from previous disasters.

With broadcasting of weather news bulletin after every 10-15 minutes, they also broadcasted magazine program, drama, feature, interview and talk show of the responsible persons involved in disaster management in the area. As an offline support group, the members of the radio listeners clubs also took part in the process of fulfilling the objective of the station. They visited the house-to-house of the listeners and disseminated information on the latest situation of the cyclone, their contact points during an emergency, what types of services available for them during rescue or rehabilitation community. At the same time, they also supplied information to the radio stations and kept them updated about the community situation.  

Eight radio stations are Community Radio Nalta 99.2 ( Kaligonj, Satkhira), Community Radio Sundarban 98.8 ((Koyra, Khulna), Community Lokobetar 99.2  (Barguna Sadar), Community Rural Radio Krishi Radio 98.8 (Amtoli, Barguna), Community Radio Naf 99.2 (Teknaf, Cox's Bazar), Community Radio Sagargiri 99.2 (Sitakunda, Chittagong), Community Radio Meghna 99.00  (Charfasion, Bhola) and Community  Radio Sagardwip 99.2 (Hatiya, Noakhali).

Broadcasting continued even at power failure/load shedding, by using alternative power supplies through generators. Since the stormy weather caused power disruption all over, Community Radio stations became the only source of information to the local people so that they could know all the details related to the cyclone and how to take precautionary measures to address their safety. This saved many lives and assets, and thus proved the essential role of Community Radio stations at a grassroots level in our coastal region.

A total of 116 Community broadcasters (Female 37, Male 79) and volunteers and members from 175 listeners clubs worked throughout the whole service. The broadcasters continued broadcasting service on shifting basis.

It can be mentioned that Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) has supported the radio stations during the times of cyclone Mahasen and Komen and thus helped to save the lives and assets of millions of the coastal region. BNNRC kept constant coordination   with those stations and provided information and guidance in the whole process.

AHM Bazlur Rahman made Jury Member of Newcomer of the Year in Journalism - Hans Verploeg Awards 2016

AHM Bazlur Rahman-S21BR, a celebrated community media policy advocate, and journalist has been selected as one of the member in the jury panel for the second time that will pick the winner of the Free Press Unlimited Newcomer of the Year in Journalism - Hans Verploeg Awards 2016, the Netherlands.

Free Press Unlimited Newcomer of the Year in Journalism - Hans Verploeg Awards 2016, the Netherlands recognizes talented new journalists who have put in a strong performance when it comes to reporting the news.  Nominee demonstrates exceptional commitment to press freedom and independent coverage and use innovative methods to disseminate the information. They show extraordinary dedication to journalism as a means to hold those in power accountable and to serve as a watchdog in the public interest. They manage to share stories that would otherwise be left untold. For more information: https://www.freepressunlimited.org/en/free-press-awards-2016

Hans Verploeg died May 25, 2010. He devoted his working life to spreading and protecting free speech, nationally and internationally. He was 25 years tireless Secretary General of the Dutch Association of Journalists and was co-founder of the Foundation for Development Communication, which later went into Free Voice, which he was president until his death in 2010. As a member of the International Federation of Journalists, IFJ, Verploeg was very much concerned with the safety of journalists in threatened areas, and he did not hesitate to speak to governments when journalists work impossible and gave no space to free speech. For his work, Hans Verploeg received on 6 March 2012 posthumously awarded the Prize of the Free Word awarded by the International Press Centre Nieuwspoort. Hans Verploeg was to protect freedom of the press more than work, it was his way of life in line with Fighting injustice, convincing authorities, human honor.

Hans Verploeg Awards is widely recognized as the most prestigious award for journalists. The winner of the Free Press Unlimited Newcomer of the Year in Journalism - Hans Verploeg Awards 2016 will receive a media scholarship as well as an expenses –paid visit to Netherlands where the award will be conferred in person at the   Free Press Award ceremony on the 2 November 2016. During the yearly ceremony on the International Day to End Impunity, Free Press Unlimited will also recognize exceptional work in the category Most Resilient Journalist.

The jury panel member AHM Bazlur has more than 20 years’ experience in leveraging community media/media and the right to communication to create successful policy advocacy in Bangladesh in line with community media development. He is one of the founder of Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC). BNNRC devoted entirely to Promote Community Media for Development (CM4D) and leads supports and advocates for the initiators to actively provide independent community broadcasting in Bangladesh.

AHM Bazlur is the first Bangladeshi community media journalist and Media Policy Advocate to sit on the jury panel for the Newcomer of the Year in Journalism - Hans Verploeg Awards 2016, the Netherlands.

Presently he is one of the founder member of Bangladesh Working Group on UN World Summit on the Information Society (UN WSIS), Community Radio Monitoring Committee, and National Broadcasting Act Drafting Committee 2016 of Ministry of Information, People’s Republic of Bangladesh, founder member of Bangladesh UN Internet Governance Forum (UN IGF), and Multi-stakeholder Steering Group Members of Asia Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum

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Bazlu

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AHM. Bazlur Rahman-S21BR | Chief Executive Officer |
Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC)
[Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations]
 
House: 9/4 Road: 2, Shaymoli, Dhaka-1207|  Bangladesh|
Phone: +88-02-9130750| 9101479 | Cell: +88 01711881647 
Fax: 88-02-9138501 | E-mail: ceo@bnnrc.net | bnnrcbd@gmail.com | 

www.bnnrc.net