H E Sheikh Hasina
Hon’ble Prime Minister, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
Subject:
Consider for Emergency Government Financial Support for Sixteen Community Radio Stations in Crisis due to COVID-19 Rural Broadcasting!
Dear Sir,
Greetings from Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC)!
BNNRC represents the community media sector to Government, Industry, Regulatory Bodies, Media and Development Partners. BNNRC is in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) accredited with World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) SDGs Media Compact of the United Nations and UN WSIS prize winner 2016, Champion 2017, 2019 & 2020!
Like national media we are at the front-line of action on the COVID-19 outbreak across the rural areas in Bangladesh and the surrounding areas. Sixteen Community Radio stations are doing everything to maintain our services and to respond to the growing needs of our community during this crisis.
The Community radios are broadcasting altogether 41 hours program daily on Corona virus contamination in different formats like- news, Public Service Announcement (PSA), radio spots, radio talks, magazine, drama, jingles, interview and expert opinions etc. The contents of the programs are- how to contaminate, symptoms of the patients, precautionary steps for preventing contamination, service providers, service providing agencies and service delivery points, and the role of community people since 1st March 2020 with own fund in line with the National Preparedness and Response Plan for COVID-19 developed by Government of Bangladesh.
However, the rapid social distancing & Quarantine/ Isolation have caused massive pressure on the community radio sector extremely due to short notice. Fundraising process have been cancelled and revenues such as advertising income are drying up overnight resulting in immediate cash flow problems, cuts in grant-funded projects & many community radio stations have few or no cash reserve to tide them over situations like this.
Without swift, substantial and simple financial help from government, community radio stations such as sixteen community radio stations will have to face difficulties in the coming days and weeks. Please provide your utmost support to sixteen community radio stations and help to save community people lives.
Please note:
Community Radios stations, as one of the sources of information, helping to raise awareness on COVID- 19 and reinforcing Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) by CSOs, Government, health officials, law enforcement department and locally elected bodies(LEB).
Community Radio stations are building awareness to change attitudes among community people at different points in their daily lives. Community Radio stations have been coordinating with the District and Upazila level Coronavirus Prevention Committees.
Community Radio stations, as a platform for those who are involved in COVID -19 responses to update rural communities. They are also providing a channel for two-way communication with community people where listeners are sending SMS or call in with questions.
Community Radio stations have assigned one broadcaster in each radio stations as the focal person to coordinate COVID–19 programs. Community Radio stations are broadcasting programs on COVID-19 in local languages or dialects. Community Radio stations are producing contents which speaks directly to localized issues and concerns, and features trusted local people in a way that nationally or regionally produced content cannot.
Reducing Disinformation & Misinformation through broadcasting awareness raising program on COVID-19
There are things you can do to help sixteen community radio stations to survive in this crisis so they can continue to serve communities. We would be extremely grateful if you could do any or all of the following actions:
- Upazilas and Districts administration could buy airtime from Community Radio stations.
- To substantially establish the Community Radio Trust Fund by Ministry of Information according to Community Radio Policy 2018
- To establish a COVID-19 contents fund to support high quality and accurate local COVID-19 news reporting and the production of programmes or series of programmes that increase rural people understanding and contribute to psychological support during the present health emergency.
We do hope that you and the Ministry of Information will consider our proposals favorably and take the necessary urgent steps to support sixteen community radio stations – a much needed and vital government resource in this difficult & crisis time.
Please find the attachment. Hon’ble PM
We hope you and your family members are staying safe and healthy in the current COVID-19 crisis. Please stay safe and take care.
With best regards,
Bazlu
AHM. Bazlur Rahman-S21BR | Chief Executive Officer |
Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC)
[Consultative Status with the ECOSOC of the United Nations]
Policy Research Fellow, Shaping the Future of Media, Information & Entertainment in the Era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution(4th IR)
House: 9/4 Road: 2, Shaymoli, Dhaka-1207| Bangladesh| Phone: +88-02-9130750| 9101479 | +88 01711881647
Fax: 88-02-9138501 | ceo@bnnrc.net | bnnrcbd@gmail.com | https://www.bnnrc.net