Recently, Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) has taken a strategic campaign program where the Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed, Hon’ble Chief Adviser of the Non-Party Care Taker Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Barrister Mainul Hosein, Adviser of the Ministry of Information and the Mr. Didarul Anower, Secretary of the Ministry of Information were included.
Under the campaign program, an appeal was made to allow the draft broadcasting policy, side by side the Govt. was requested to give permission for launching some community radio as pilot basis. On the basis of the findings of the pilot project, Govt. can allow the full pledged community radio in the country for long term.
As a result of the strategic campaign, for the first time, a high level meeting was organized by the Ministry of Information regarding community radio. The meeting was held at the conference room of the ministry at 11 a.m. on July 23, 2007.
Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) and with other Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) has been continuing advocacy with the Government for a long time to open up the Community Radio in Bangladesh.
Community Radio movement in Bangladesh is a very promising yet critical stage. Different NGOs civil society groups, journalists, intellectuals and other concerned entities of this country are putting continuous and ardent effort in order to come up with a Community Radio friendly regulatory environment through appropriate government regulations.
Just last year, a National Consultation on Community Radio was jointly organized by MMC, BNNRC, FOCUS, YPSA and VOICE and supported by UNESCO, UNICEF and UNDP- Bangladesh with the goal of identifying course of action on how to proceed for introducing Community Radio in Bangladesh. At the end of that consultation, the participants agreed to put more focused effort on Community Radio piloting and the enactment of the draft Broadcasting Act 2003.
But till now, no pilot project has been commenced in Bangladesh as far as the case of true participatory based Community Radio service is concerned. The member organizations of advocacy group already have the human resources, contents and organizational motivation needed to initiate, manage and sustain any pilot Community Radio project.
Advocacy group is to initiate any Community Radio project addressing the issues related with fulfilling Millennium Development Goals (MDG), World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Action Plan, PRSP and knowledge based Society.
Recently, Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) has taken a strategic campaign program where the Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed, Hon’ble Chief Adviser of the Non-Party Care Taker Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Barrister Mainul Hosein, Adviser of the Ministry of Information and the Mr. Didarul Anower, Secretary of the Ministry of Information were included.
Under the campaign program, an appeal was made to allow the draft broadcasting policy, side by side the Govt. was requested to give permission for launching some community radio as pilot basis. On the basis of the findings of the pilot project, Govt. can allow the full pledged community radio in the country for long term.
As a result of the strategic campaign, for the first time, a high level meeting was organized by the Ministry of Information regarding community radio. The meeting was held at the conference room of the ministry at 11 a.m. on July 23, 2007.
Mr. Didarul Anowar, Secretary of the Ministry of Information presided over the meeting. Among others 15 high officials of the ministry including the Director General of Bangladesh Betar (Radio Bangladesh), Principal Information Officer (PIO) and Joint Secretary of Ministry of Information attended the high level meeting.
On behalf of advocacy group Mr. Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury, Chairman of BRACNet and former secretary Government of Bangladesh, Mr. Kamrul Hasan Monju, Executive Director of Mass line Media Center (MMC) and Mr. AHM Bazlur Rahman-S21BR, Chief Executive Officer of BNNRC participated the meeting.
In his welcoming speech the Secretary of Ministry of Information emphasized on to find out the ways to launch community radio as pilot basis. Mr. Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury highlighted the importance of Community Radio in brief. Mr. Kamrul Hasan Monju and Mr. AHM Bazlur Rahman-S21BR briefed the meeting on community radio, its program, management, monitoring, community content and licensing system.
After an elaborate discussion, a high level committee was formed and the Director General of Bangladesh Betar (Bangladesh Radio) was nominated as the Convener. The committee will submit a concept note, guideline and a regulatory frame (draft) of Community Radio to the Secretary of the Ministry of Information within a month.