Bangladesh: 12 Community Radio Get Clearance To Set Up

22 April 2010

Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC), since its inception, has been advocating with the government and with other organizations for the promotion of Community Radio to address critical social issues at community level, such as poverty and social exclusion, empowerment of marginalized rural groups and catalyze democratic process in decision making and ongoing development efforts. Today afternoon (3:15 pm ) Initially Ministry of Information, Government of People’s Republic of Bangladesh has approved 12 Community Radio Initiators for installation and operation of community radio in Bangladesh first time. To ensure free flow of information and people's right to information government enacted Right to Information Act 2009. Community radio approval is a strong step to empower people in this regards.

The main objective of community radio is to provide livelihood related information to the rural communities in an understandable way. Agriculture, education, health, disaster, women and child issues, market price, services, etc. will be cover in the community radio for the community people.

Initially government approved 11 Initiators like Young Power in Action(YPSA) - Sitakunda, Chittagong, Nalta Community Hospital- Satkhira, LDRO- Bogra, BRAC- Moulivi Bazer, Barandro Community-Naogaon, Proyas-Chapai Nababgonj, CCD- Rajshahi, Srizoni- Jhinaidhah, EC Bangladesh- Munsihigonj, MMC- Barguna and RDRS- Kurigram.

One government organization to install and operate Rural Radio in Amtali under Barguna district, a rural community radio will be established by Agriculture Information Service of the Agriculture Department of Ministry of Agriculture.

Source: BNNRC