Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) organized training workshop on Community Radio: Operation, Management and Sustainable Planning supported by Free Voice. The workshop was organized from 14-16 June, 2009 in Dhaka.

The objective of the workshop is to clarify the Community Radio concept and its strategies of operation, different aspects of CR management and sustainable planning.

Thirty high officials from twenty eight applied organizations attended the workshop. Mr. Sohel Aurongojeb, the consultant of Community Radio Academy, facilitated in the workshop.

The issues discussed in the sessions of workshop are: What CR is and why it is essential; the present position of CR in perspective of Bangladesh; CR by laws; Structure of CR Management Committee; CR Station Structure (Administrative); Job Description Manual-HRD, Gender; Finance (with content list); Regulatory Affairs (license fee, license renewal, reporting etc.); Programs to be Broadcast/ not to be Broadcast (on the basis of government policy); Information, Education, Entertainment, Development Motivation ; Daily and Weekly Cue Sheet; Costing Plan for Programs; Volunteer Management; Program Resource Management (Human Resource, Financial Resource etc.) and feedback from audiences; Management Planning; Financial Planning; and Strategic Planning.

The organizations which participated in the workshop are: Speed Trust, Bangladesh Scouts, BRAC, BCDJC, Krishi and Samajik Unnayan Songstha, TMSS, South Asia Partnership- Bangladesh (SAP- Bangladesh), Young Power in Social Action(YPSA), CDA, D.Net, COAST Trust, Come to Work, Pirojpur Gono Unnayan Society, LDRO, Srijoni Bangladesh, POPI, CCD Bangladesh, Sankalpa Trust, Proyas Manobik Unnayan Society, MMC, Gono Unnayan Kendro, Kiraro No Ki, RDRS, Deep Unnayan Songstha, Jugantor Somaj Unnayan Songstha, Samadhan, NHRDA, Nolta Hospital and Community Health Foundation.

MR. Shamim Ahsan, the Communication Officer of UNESCO, and Mr. Mostafa Kamal, the Administrative Chief of Coast Trust, were also present in the closing session.

A two- day workshop on “Asia Calling Bangladesh: How to get started and keep going in Bangladesh” jointly organized by Asia Calling Radio, an Indonesia based radio program broadcasting news in Asian countries, and Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) was held at BRAC Inn Center in Dhaka on June 22 and 23.

The aim of the workshop is to broadcast radio program in Bangla. Katie Hamann, Jakarta representative of Asia Calling, conducted the workshop.

To run Asia calling Bangla service, ten journalists from different print and electronic media participated in the workshop. The workshop was conducted on different aspects of radio programs including short packages, feature reports, and radio documentary. Technical aspects regarding making radio news, techniques of voiceover, voice training, audition in adobe addition, radio features etc were the major demonstrated attention of the workshop.

Primarily, in coordination with BNNRC, Asia Calling radio program will be broadcast in Bangla using web radio. It may be mentioned that Asia Calling is broadcast in English and Indonesian on 135 stations throughout the Indonesian archipelago. Besides, the program also extends beyond Indonesia and is broadcast in local languages in Australia, Thailand, Cambodia, The Philippines, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, Myanmar and Timor Leste.

The participants think, on the eve of Bangla service of Asia Calling, this kind of training will obviously enrich the Bangla division of Asia Calling.

Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) is advocating promotion of community radio with the government in relations with other organizations since its inception. The objective of BNNRC’s Community Radio intervention is 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.

Community Radio is going to play a pivotal role in decision making at both local and national level in the development process of Bangladesh. Ministry of Information has adopted Community Radio Installation, Broadcasting and Operation Policy in 2008. Having this unique pro-people policy first time in Bangladesh and 2nd of its kind in South Asia, Bangladesh has already been widely appreciated by local, national and international bodies fighting for right to information of the common masses. .

It is worthy to mention here that opening the arena of right to information for the rural people of Bangladesh through establishing community radio stations under a progressive broadcasting policy, was declared in the Bangladesh Awami League election manifesto 2008 (Article No.19.1 of the Charter for Change).

Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) is going to conduct a national baseline survey on Community Radio in the country. This survey is implementing by renound research farm of the country, Bangladesh Institute of Social Research(BISR).

180 applications had been submitted from different organizations for the permission of establishing community radio stations in their respective areas. Out of these,116 organizations have been identified for 2nd stage scrutiny i. e. police verification. The process of police verification is going on.

But, no survey or study was conducted in Bangladesh to identify the community choice, needs and demands about the language, contents, broadcasting hour or types of programs to be broadcasted by the communiti radio stations. In this situation, the aspirants and initiators of the community radio stations are remain in dark about these most important issues directly related to community radio operation.

Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) is conducting this survey of the community information needs, preparedness, acceptance and community choice through representational response, questionnaire, focus group discussion and interview in ten strategicaly important areas. All six administrative divisions are included for this survey.

The draft survey report will be published and disseminated among the key stakeholders of community radio as well as print and electronic media through a national seminar in Dhaka by June 2009. The findings of survey and suggestions adopted on them in the seminar will also be presented in the international conference of AMARC-Asia Pacific scheduled to be held in Bangalore, India in October 2009.

This national baseline survey process has approved by NGO Ahffairs Bureau consultation with Ministry of Information and congenial support from Free Voice.

The speaker of Bangladesh Parliament, Advocate Abdul Hamid, was formally given a Community Radio Handbook on Good Governance and Development on 6 April 2009 on behalf of Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC). This Community Radio Handbook on Good Governance and Development supported by DFID- Bangladesh.

At the time of handing over the handbook, the Chief Executive Officer of Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC), AHM Bazlur Rahman briefed the honorable speaker concerning the latest process of Community Radio approval in Bangladesh.

He was requested to start an FM Radio Channel named Bangladesh Parliament FM Radio with the endeavor of parliament in order to establish a direct communication in the midst of parliament and common mass and enhance awareness amongst people regarding parliament.

The speaker listened to the Community Radio issue with rapt attention and thanked the organizers for publishing the handbook.

Community Radio Movement Adviser, Dr. Akram Hossain Chowdhury MP, was also present at that moment.

Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) is promoting the advocacy with the government in relations to community radio with other organizations since its emergence. The objective of BNNRC’s Community Radio intervention is to address crucial social issues at community level, such as poverty and social exclusion, empower marginalized rural groups and catalyze democratic processes and ongoing development efforts.

Community Radio is going to make an important place in development field in Bangladesh. Ministry of Information formulated Community Radio Installation, Broadcasting and Operation Policy 2008. Having prepared a complete pro-people policy for the first time in Bangladesh and 2nd policy in South Asia, the People’s Republic of Bangladesh has already been widely appreciated by local, national and international bodies.

Under this circumstance, BNNRC has taken initiative of publishing a Community Radio Handbook for Good Governance and Development to meet the basic needs and demands of the community radio initiators, regulators, managers, community leaders and community broadcasters in respect to setting up and operating the community radio stations successfully in Bangladesh.

In the meantime, Community Radio Academy has been established by Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) with a view to building up capacity on community radio operation of the initiators. Under the initiatives of the academy training workshops, round table, seminar etc are being organized incessantly.

This handbook will be a good compilation of all necessary chapters and key aspects of community radio operation mechanism. With the help of this Community Radio Handbook, Community Radio stakeholders will have knowledge of technical and management skills, come to know about the function, management, procedure, prospect, sustainability, working environment, financial management, culture, socio-economic status, challenges and difficulties of running Community Radio and have all concerned resources and facilities available for their progress and success.

This Handbook will be helpful for long-term preservation and sharing as a guide with the concerned policy makers, donor agencies, Community Radio related regulators, technical and monitoring committee members, local, and central administration such as, Parliamentarian, Ministries, Civil Society, Upa zila Chairman, Deputy Commissioners (DC), Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNO), officials of the local intelligence wings and law enforcing agencies, local government and people working in this field for nation building process at different level.

Awami League President Sheikh Hasina yesterday (12 December, 2008) unveiled her party's election manifesto titled Charter for Change.

Community Radio services has already included in Charter for Change under the Freedom of mass media and information.

19. Freedom of mass media and information

19.1 The freedom of all types of mass media and flow of information will be ensured. Initiatives will be taken for community radio services, besides national radio network.

19.2 Investigation and trial of assassination of all journalists will be made expeditiously and the real criminals will be given exemplary punishment. Persecution and intimidation of journalists will be stopped. All false cases against them will be withdrawn.

19.3 Discrimination in distribution of advertisements on partisan consideration shall be discontinued, and development of the newspaper as an industry will be aided.

For happy reading Bangla and English: http://www.albd.org/autoalbd/content/view/367/

Community Radio is playing very significant role in the countries of South Asia responding to other regions of the world. Recently Information Ministry of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh formulated Community Radio Installation, Broadcast and Operation Policy 2008 and we would thank the Government for this policy.

Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC), you know, is promoting the advocacy with the government in relation to community radio with other organizations since its emergence.
State is still a sweeping entity to the poor people in Bangladesh, where to reach is tiresome and dialogue is beyond imagination. At the same time, even their own community neglects the voice of the poor people. In this circumstance, promoting, empowering and extension of community radio can play significant role in alleviating poverty through creating easy access of the poor to the information highway.

The third goal of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is gender equity and women empowerment. Considering the ownership and access to the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as an instance, it appears transparent that gender discrimination in technological use is extensively wide in Bangladesh.
Gender discrimination is much wider in broadcasting sector. As community radio is going to run in the country, if the gender issue is considered with much emphasis since the beginning, it will be possible to ensure gender equality at least in the administration, management, program and financial planning of community radio operation.

One of the objectives of publishing the very Gender Policy in Community Radio Stations prepared by World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC) - Women International Network (WIN) Asia Pacific in Bangla is to create massive awareness of the government, non-government and development initiators on eliminating gender discrimination in community radio stations.

We hope the community radio initiators will follow the instruction stated in the Gender Policy in Community Radio Stations and play marking role in ensuring gender equity in the broadcast sector in Bangladesh. Be Community Radio one of the development tools for the voiceless.

Full Publication at:Gender Policy for Community Radio Stations

On the occasion of the week long visit of ARTICLE 19 Global Executive Director Dr. Agnes Callamard in Bangladesh, ARTICLE 19 Bangladesh office organized a reception in Dhaka on Thursday.

In the reception Dr Agnes Callamard launched a website named www.provoicebd.org of the ARTICLE 19 project titled "Access to Information for Greater Participation and Government Accountability” funded by DFID-UK and a Bangla version of an ARTICLE 19 International Standard Series booklet named The Public's Right to Know: Principles on Freedom of Information Legislation. The booklet was distributed among the participants.

Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) with the participation of ARTICLE 19 partner organizations developed the website and published the Bangla version of the booklet under this project.

Among others, ARTICLE 19 Country Director in Bangladesh Ms. Tahmina Rahman presented welcome address while higher officials of the partner organizations attended the reception.

Assistant Coordinator of BNNRC Mr Khorshed Alam presented the website details and the whole website through multimedia session. An ifter party followed the reception.

Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication is working in association with other partner organizations regarding the need for a Right to Information Law since its inception.

We believe the Right to Information Act should have such mechanism that enables general people having important information. The mechanism would establish that providing information on demand is the rule and hiding is the denial of law. The law should have a list about which information might not be provided and this list must be very short. It is to be ensured that the information provided should be very easy and comprehensible to the general people. The law should have the measure to take action on unexpected refusal on the demand for information.

The objective of this Bangla translation is to appraise/analyze the Right to Information Act drafted by the government of Bangladesh in accordance with the international standard and enrich the draft.

We hope the Bangla translation of the booklet Public’s Right to Know: International Standard Series, a production of Article 19 to play a positive role among the civil society, politicians, government and non government officials, mass media and others and to assist the current Right to Information Act 2008 to be enriched.

A high delegation led by Dr. Agnès Callamard, Executive Director of Article19 visited Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) on September 10, 2008.

Mr. AHM Bazlur Rahman, Chief Executive Officer of BNNRC welcomed them at BNNRC office and briefed about BNNRC and its activities through a multimedia presentation.

Article19 Executive Director wanted to know about Right to Information (RTI) policy, Rural Knowledge Centers (RKC) and Rural Know Volunteer (RKV) through RKC and their role to community, sustainability of the RKCs for ICT4D, future plan of BNNRC regarding community radio etc. The team expressed their satisfaction over BNNRC’s activities.

Mr. Khorshed Alam, Assistant Coordinator of BNNRC, presented the website of www.provoicebd.org through multimedia presentation and got necessary feedback from Article19 Executive Director and she also advised to develop another website on Bangla version where people from grassroots easily access and gather information.

Among others Ms. Tahmina Rahman, Director of Article19 Bangladesh and Mr. Kamaruzzaman, Program Coordinator of BNNRC were present on the occasion.

Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) along with other like-minded organizations has been conducting advocacy with the Government for community radio in Bangladesh since its inception. As a consequence, the Ministry of Information recently formulated Community Radio Installation, Broadcasting and Operation Policy 2008.

Primarily 116 organizations were identified as eligible of policy approval for community radio in a meeting of the National Regulatory Committee held in the Ministry of Information on Tuesday 15 July, 2008. On 23 July 2008 Ministry of Information sent an official letter to Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) and Home Ministry to issue security permit for the selected 116 community radio stations. As a consequence, investigation by three Government intelligence wings are working in the field level to find out required integrity, quality and legal status of the CR initiators.

From the community radio related experience, BNNRC feels deep urge that there should be an all out national initiative to train up manpower for the smooth operation of the community radio stations. With this view, BNNRC has set up a Community Radio Academy. From this academy training courses, technical support and research and development support will be given to the community radio stakeholders round the year.

In this backdrop, with main focus on the role of community radio in developing life and livelihood of the rural communities, Community Radio Installation, Broadcast and Operation Policy – 2008 and technical operation of Community Radio and strategy of work-plan for sustainable operation of community radio, Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) organized a daylong training workshop on Community Radio: How to Get Started and Keep Going in Bangladesh at IDB Auditorium in Dhaka on Wednesday, 27 August, 2008.

A total of 136 representatives from 98 community radio initiators including non-government development and research organizations took part in the workshop.>> Read more

Please Download the Presentaion


About Community Radio, A.H.M Bazlur Rahman
Community Radio Station: BUDGET model, Sohel Awrangzeb
Community Radio_Technical and Operational Overview, Sohel Awrangzeb
Community Radio Station setup, Sohel Awrangzeb
Gender Relation and Development in Community Radio station, A.H.M Abdul Hai
Guidline on Community Radio
Report on Training Workshop,
Schedule for Community Radio Workshop Training Workshop Promotional Materials
Folder ,Certificate, Name Card

Dhaka, 09 July 2008:-
Community Radio broadcasters are indeed artisans or craftspeople, creating images with sounds, not designing media to a formula driven by marketing calculation or propagandistic intent, but drawing on a passion for the medium and a belief that community broadcasting can make a difference to people's lives and livelihoods,

Speakers said it at a daylong roundtable on “Ensuring Sustainable Growth of Community Radio in Bangladesh: Removing barriers, Increasing Effectiveness” held at LGED Conference Room in Dhaka on Wednesday. They said, in almost all cases we find a close correlation between the emergence of community radio and political change towards greater democracy. Not only in Africa, but in Asia, we find similar patterns.

Please Download the Presentaion

Access_&_participation, Ashish Sen (Voice), India

Planinig_A_Sustainable_Growth_of_CR, Raghu Mainali (CRSC), Nepal

Steve Buckly - AMARC International

Presentation_Gender_Policy,

State_of_Broadcasting_System_in_Bangladesh

Press Release, Round_Table_Program,

Welcome_speech_by_A H M Bazlur Rahman,

Photo album

Community Radio has a very special place in BNNRC's intervention. The objective of BNNRC 's Community Radio intervention is to address crucial social issues at community level, such as poverty and social exclusion, empower marginalized rural groups and catalyze democratic processes and on going development efforts. You know BNNRC is promoting the advocacy with the government in relations to community radio with other organizations since its emergence.

BNNRC provided technical assistance to around 200 organizations in the community radio application process through a National Help Desk on Community Radio in BNNRC Secretariat in Dhaka. Through this experience we have felt that a pro active institution should be activated to create necessary human resource, research and development and technical cooperation for Community Radio in Bangladesh.

In this backdrop, BNNRC has established Community Radio Academy. The Academy is going to provide community radio related training, technical assistance and other support round the year. We hope community radio to be the alternative and strongly effective mass media for the rural disadvantaged population to express their thinking in their own voice.

Full publication >>

The community radio network could give the marginalized people of the country access to information and thus play immense role in the development of particular communities, speakers at a daylong international seminar said on Sunday. They said, the prospect of the Community Radio is that it could give voice to the voiceless people, but the rules and procedures of the licensing system should have provisions to ensure that the ownership of the information really remain within the community.
Asian Media Information and Communication Centre (AMIC), Bangladesh NGO’s Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC and United News of Bangladesh (UNB) jointly arranged the seminar with the theme “Peoples Voices, Peoples Participation and Community Radio” at the conference room of UNB.

Information Secretary Jamil Osman as Chief Guest inaugurated the seminar while former Chairman of Bangladesh Telecommunication and Regulatory Commission (BTRC) and former Secretary of the Government Syed Margub Morshed was in the chair. Country Director and Representative of UNESCO in Bangladesh Dr Malama Meleisea and Assistant Country Director of UNDP in Bangladesh K A M Morshed addressed the inaugural session as Special Guests.
Among others, Secretary General of AMIC Dr Indrajit Banerjee, Professor of International Institute of Communication, UK Dr Andrew Taussig, Director General of Press Institute of Bangladesh (PIB) Mohammad Nazrul Islam and Chairman of UNB Amanullah Khan addressed the session. AMIC Head of Research Dr Kalinga Seneviratne presented the keynote paper of the session titled “Overview of Community Radio across Asia: Opportunities and Challenges”.

Please Download the Press Release
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Bangladesh government recently invited appliction form to launch Community Radio as piloting basis.For that BNNRC published a guide book for Community Radio Enthusiast on installation of Community Radio, Budget and planning and Many more.

Full Publication at:CR_Policy

The government has formulated a policy on the installation, broadcast and operation of community radio to facilitate information dissemination, said a Press Information Department handout on Sunday.

The handout said the communality radio installation, broadcast and operation policy 2008 was posted on the information ministry web site (www.moi.gov.bd) for the people interested in community radio licence.

For English version please visit:CR Policy 2008

Community Radio has a very special place in BNNRC's intervention. The objective of BNNRC 's Community Radio intervention is to address crucial social issues at community level, such as poverty and social exclusion, empower marginalized rural groups and catalyze democratic processes and on going development efforts. You know BNNRC is promoting the advocacy with the government in relations to community radio with other organizations since its emergence.

Role of Community Radio in rural areas like give voice to the people who normally have no access to the mass media nor opportunity to express their views on community development, Speeds up the process of informing the community and therefore acts as a catalyst of change, Promote the right to communicate, assist the free flow of information and opinions, encourage creative expression and contribute to the democratic process and a pluralist society;

Provide access to training, production and distribution facilities; encourage local creative talent and foster local traditions; and provide program for the benefit, entertainment, education and development of their listeners.

Seek to have their ownership representative of local geographically recognizable communities or of communities of common interest. Provide a right of access to minority and marginalized groups and promote and protect cultural and linguistic diversity. Seek to honestly inform their listeners on the basis of information drawn from a diversity of sources and provide a right of reply to any person or organization subject to serious misrepresentation. Community Radio helps to put the community members in charge of their own affairs

As a result Ministry of Information of People's Republic of Bangladesh has announced the Community Radio Installation, Broadcast and Operation Policy 2008 for the first time in Bangladesh. The Ministry of information has also formulated three committees i.e National Regulatory Committee, Technical Sub Committee and Central Monitoring Committee to look after the smooth operation of community radio in Bangladesh.

By the way the technical sub-committee formed in accordance with the community radio policy 2008, sent a list of 124 Government and non-government organizations after sorting out of 180 applications to the National Regulatory Committee headed by Information Secretary. This committee selected 116 organizations eligible for license on Tuesday 15th July, 2008. Notably, 400 organizations drew application forms from the Ministry but only 180 submitted their applications for license. Having insufficient documents, papers and qualifications for the license, applications of those organizations have been ineligible of the consideration for license.

BNNRC provided technical assistance to around 200 organizations in the community radio application process through a National Help Desk on Community Radio in BNNRC Secretariat in Dhaka. Through this experience we have felt that a pro active institution should be activated to create necessary human resource, research and development and technical cooperation for Community Radio in Bangladesh.

In this backdrop, BNNRC has established Community Radio Academy. The Academy is going to provide community radio related training, technical assistance and other support round the year. We hope community radio to be the alternative and strongly effective mass media for the rural disadvantaged population to express their thinking in their own voice.

We invite you to Support Community Radio initiative in Bangladesh.
ceo@bnnrc.net

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) celebrated World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2009. A two-day national program was held on this grand occasion in Chittagong, Bangladesh on 17th May, Sunday, 2009.

World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) is celebrated annually on 17 May since 1969 to raise the awareness of the people regarding various aspect of ICT. The event was celebrated in Chittagong this year.

The theme of this year was “Protecting Children in Cyberspace”. To popularize the concept in building awareness and to ensure youth participation, Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) chalked out an elaborate program for two days (17 - 18 May ‘09).

Keeping “Digital Bangladesh” and “Vision 2021″ in view, the observance of WTISD-09 comprised of an ICT based exhibition, Seminar, ICT classes and various online/offline competition at IEB, Chittagong. The purpose of this event was to encourage the citizen of Bangladesh for contributing in building ICT based nation. The idea was to connect the unconnected and to bridge the gap between lighted and unlighted in the field of ICT related knowledge.

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) chose Chittagong, the Commercial Capital of the country, to host the first-time national level observance of World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2009.

Demonstration of a full-functional Community Radio Station took place at the program venue, Engineers Institution Bangladesh, Chittagong center on the eve of World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2009 during the two days program.

The regulatory body for telecom affairs in Bangladesh, Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), entrusted Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) to demonstrate a Community Radio station during the program. It can be worthy to mention here that this demonstration of Community Radio Station is the first of its kind in Bangladesh.

Participants of all walks of the society, particularly honorable ministers, members of the parliament, elected representatives of various tier of local government system, academia and students, civil society members, print and electronic media, corporate sector representatives as well as common people came across the basic features of Community Radio Operation through this program.

It is also important to point out here that the present ruling party, Bangladesh Awami League, in its election manifesto 2008 (A Charter for Change, point 19.1) confirmed the policy and programs of establishment, broadcasting and operation of Community Radio Stations in Bangladesh.

The process of scrutinizing and verification of the applications received by the Ministry of Information is now going on in the Ministry of Home affairs.

Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) acknowledged the generous support from Article 19 Bangladesh regarding successful implementation of this event.