Community radio on way 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.

Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) along with other Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) has been continuing advocacy with the government for a long time to open up community radio in Bangladesh.

BNNRC has taken a strategic campaign programme 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 programme, an appeal was made to allow the draft broadcasting policy. Side by side the government was requested to give permission for launching community radio on pilot basis. On the basis of the findings of the pilot project, the government can allow the full pledged community radio in the country on long term.

As a result of the strategic campaign, an eight-member high level committee comprising of government officials and representative from Community Radio Advocacy Group was formed by the Ministry of Information.

Mr. Md. Mahbubul Alam, the Director General of Bangladesh Betar (Bangladesh Radio) was nominated as the Convener. Other members of the committee are: Mr. Iftekher Hossain, Principal Information Officer (Current Charge), Mr. Nasimul Kader Chowdhury, Deputy Director General (News), Bangladesh Betar, Mr. Md. Abdur Rouf, Director (News) Bangladesh Betar, Mr. Mohesh Chardra Roy, Senior Engineer, (Research and Receive Cell) Bangladesh Betar , Mr. Faroha Suhrowardi, Deputy Director (Liaison) Bangladesh Betar, Mr. Kamrul Hasan Monju, Executive Director, Mass-Line Media Centre and Mr. AHM Bazlur Rahman-S21BR, Chief Executive Officer, Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC).

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.

Source: BNNRC

User comments

There are no comments