Radio in Media in Bangladesh

1. AHM Bazlur Rahman-S21BR
Chief Executive Officer
Bangladesh NGOs Network for
Radio and Communication
ceo@bnnrc.net

4. State of Radio Broadcasting
in Bangladesh
Public Service Broadcasting
Bangladesh Betar/Radio
12 Regional MW and 27 FM
300 H program
Commercial Broadcasting
12 FM Stations total 25
Community Broadcasting
14 Stations + 2 Newly Approved
120 H Program
International Broadcasting
BBC, NHK, CRI & VOA
Internet Radio
Campus Radio

5. Human Needs and Rights
Knowledge Societies
Pluralism
Human Needs and RightsHuman Needs and Rights
Knowledge SocietiesKnowledge Societies
PluralismPluralism
Knowledge
Creation Dissemination UtilizationPreservation
Knowledge Knowledge Knowledge
Mission of
Community
Media
in Bangladesh

6. Straggle for Community
Radio
Movement Started from 1998
Community Radio Policy by
Ministry of Information 2008
14 Community Radio Approved
by Ministry of Information 2010
Community Radio on-air
from 2011
Community Radio Strategy 2011
by Ministry of Information
Again,125 Initiators applied for CR
17 September, 2013
Primary selection for Security 51
24 October, 2013

7. Picture:
Curtsey – Internet /
Face book

8. Picture:
Curtsey – Internet/
Face book

9. Picture:
Curtsey – Internet/Face book

10. Why Community Broadcasting
Current trends of Information Society
The reality, if current trends continue, might be very different, the dream might become a nightmare
1. The fruits of human creativity – from academia to media, from
indigenous medicines to music- are being privatized, ownership
concentrated into the hands of a few, and access restricted to
those who can pay ;
2. The airwaves, for radio, television and telecommunications, are
being sliced up and sold to the highest bidder ;
3. The internet, once a promising new public sphere, is
increasingly commercialized and controlled ;
4. The media, controlled by the MNCs, sell consumerism to
people, and people to advertisers, and now media machines is
very much aggressive!

11. A frame Work for Action
Global Drivers:
- UN World Summit on the
Information Society
(UN WSIS) 2003 & 2005
- UN Convention on the Rights
of the Child UN MDGs
- UN Convention Against
Corruption- UNCAC
- UN FCCC
National drivers
- Right to Information law 2009
of Ministry of Information
- ICT Policy 2009 of Ministry
of Science and ICT
- 6th Five Years Plan of
Ministry of Planning and
Finance 2012

12. Collaboration
and Policy
support

13. Approaches to Sustainability
& Challenge
Policy level :
Community Radio Policy 2008
National Strategy on CR Policy 2011
Institutional Level:
Advisory Committee
Monitoring Committee
By-Laws/ HR & Financial Policy
Social Level:
Management Committee
In line with Community ownership &
Control & Community Engagement
In line with program
Financial Sustainability :
A non-profit business Model
CR Trust Fund Development
Advertisement Policy
Partnership with Local Government
Major Challenge:
- Community Mobilization
- Regular Operation
- Skills for Staff

14. Program & Community Broadcasters
Total Hours : 120 Hours
Total Community Broadcaster
Youth: 284
Youth- Women 252
Future Plan for Community Radio
- On-going 2013, 14 Operational CR + 2
- By 2014 at-least 60 CR Station
- By 2021 300 CR Stations

16. Community Radio in DRR

17. As part of addressing the risk of Cyclone Mahasen,
Six Community Radio Stations in coastal
region of Bangladesh have broadcasted
514 hours program for 5 days continuously
from May 11 to May16.

18. Community Radio Nalta 99.2 (Satkhira),
Community Radio Sundarban 99.2(Koyra, Khulna),
Community Radio Lokobetar 99.2 (Barguna Sadar),
Community Rural Radio Krishi Radio 98.8
(Amtali,Barguna),
Community Radio Naf 99.2 (Cox’s bazar,Tekhnaf) and
Radio Sagargiri 99.2 (Sitakunda, Chittagong)

19. A total of 391 staffs and volunteers and
more than 20,000 listeners’ club members were involved
constantly in disseminating disaster preparedness
message and information to the local community.
 The community radio stations broadcasted latest
weather bulletin and other govt. directives after every 15-
30 minutes. The radio staffs and volunteers produced
and broadcasted different types of programs in different
formats (like news, magazine, talkshow, discussion etc.)
regarding pre, during and post-disaster measures.

20.  The directives from Deputy Commissioner (DC) and Upa
Zila Nirbahi Officer(UNO), interview of experienced Red
Cross officials have been broadcasted.
 Interviews and directives regarding early preparedness
measures regarding utilization of Cyclone shelter, crop
harvesting and preservation by local elected
representatives like UP Chairman, Mayor, Female vice
chairman and members of upazila parishads, Deputy
Director of Cyclone Preparedness Committee,
Agriculture officer and health officer have been
broadcasted.

21.  Interviews [on disaster preparedness] of local journalists,
trained and experienced development activists were
broadcasted. people who took shelter in the center also
talked on community radio so that the others feel
inspired to come to the shelter.
 Public Service Announcement (PSA) was broadcasted
by quoting bulletin of National Broadcasting Authority.
Analysis and views have been broadcasted basing on
the news published on national and international mass
media, Members of Listeners clubs sent early warning by
Mobile messages for non-covered radio region.