“Community radio can contribute in improving transparency and accountability in local government institutions .They can broadcast interactive programs and create a platform of dialogue on certain good practices of local people’s participation in socio-economic analysis for development plan and ward meeting for budgeting process.

This will create positive impact on the practices of local people and their elected representatives in inclusion process” – speakers told in an orientation session for community radio broadcasters held on 15 December ’15 at YWCA Conference Room, Dhaka. The day-long orientation workshop on “Broadcasting good practices of inclusive governance in interactive programs through Community Radio” has been held as part of initiating BNNRC-CARE – Bangladesh Partnership program on good governance titled: “Sushasoner Sanglap” [Dialogue on good governance].

The objective of the orientation was to provide relevant information and a clear understanding of broadcasting good practices of inclusive governance in CARE implemented Journey for Advancement in Transparency, Representation and Accountability (JATRA) Project, through interactive programs of five selected community radio stations of the country. The Program was organized by Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) in collaboration with CARE- Bangladesh.

The orientation included the sessions on Journey for Advancement in Transparency, Representation and Accountability (JATRA) Project, its Objective and its present interventions in specific project area of the country. By using power point slides Mr. Murad Bin Aziz, Governance Coordinator, Extreme Rural Poverty Program of Care Bangladesh described elaborately the objectives and activities of JATRA Project for achieving transparency, representation and accountability of Union Parishads.He has mentioned the importance of community radio stations ‘role in the process.

He has clarified the themes of the programs, which have been proposed to produce and broadcast through selected community radio stations of the country. Mentionable that five community radio stations of the country namely Community Radio Nalta 99.2 (Satkhira), Community radio Lokobetar 99.2 (Borguna), Community Radio Pollikantho 99.2 (Moulvibazar), Community Radio Mahananda 98.8 (Chapainawbgonj) and Community Radio Chilmari 99.2 (Kurigram) have been selected to produce and broadcast 02 programs (of 25 minutes duration each) on two themes like Political Economy analysis of the area and importance of Ward Meeting for Open Budget in Union Parishad.

In the experience sharing session, Ms. Rwashan Rahman, Technical Coordinator, Knowledge Management, JATRA project of Care Bangladesh discussed on practical experiences of practices of two themes at project area in Kishoreganj (Nilphamari),Syedpur and Palashbari. Her discussion was supplemented by Mr. Golam Rabbani, Project Manager, JATRA project and three district correspondents of Daily Jaijaidin, Daily Kaler kantho and ournewsBD.com who has been linked with the project since the beginning. The journalists participated in the workshop as observers.

In later sessions Syed Kamrul Hasan briefed the methodology of program production, broadcasting and reporting system of the activity. The sessions became lively and interactive through questions and answers of the community radio broadcasters who joined in the workshop.

In the closing session the participants gave their feedback. They mentioned that this broadcasting initiative would create positive impact and contribute a lot for ensuring transparency in local government institutions.