Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication(BNNRC) has been struggling for the last 20 years for opening up and strengthening the community media sector including Community Radio and giving focus on its vital role as voices of the voiceless rural people from 2000. BNNRC is in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) accredited with the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) of the United Nations and UN WSIS prize winner 2016, Champion 2017, 2019, 2020 & 2021.
BNNRC has been mobilizing all community radios for developing and broadcasting awareness building programs on COVID-19: contamination to protect lives and livelihoods since March 1, 2020 to 31 May 2020. During March 1, 2020 to 31 May 2020 BNNRC has been working on COVID -19 covering the following issues: 1. Animate CSOs, Government, health service providers and communities for reinforcing collective action in pre and during COVID-19 2. Response for achieving keeping community people’s daily life normal and livelihood function, 3. Mobilize further cooperation among government, CSOs, local market and communities’ response
In times of crisis, information saves lives. In the response to Covid-19, we see how vital it is to get accurate and trusted messages to people so that they know what they need to do and where they can get help when they need it. Now 18 Community Radios stations in Bangladesh have been broadcasting 165 hours of Coronavirus prevention education with the active participation of community people. There are 1000 community youth and youth women community radio broadcasters broadcast programs for around 10 million listeners and viewers.
We have 18 community radio broadcasters as COVID-19 focal points at 18 community radio stations along with 1000 youth and youth women community broadcasters. We are maintaining 24×7 communication with the upazila and District COVID-19 committee and upazila and district administration.
From 1st June, 2020 BNNRC has developed COVID-19: Adaptation Initiative and Intervention according to Technical Instructions of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare on COVID-19 Pandemic to Protect and Control Social and Institutional Contamination that can help to look at the response through an equity lens, focus on people’s enhanced capabilities & follow a coherent multidimensional approach for achieving of the four specific objectives below:
1. Enhance the capabilities of affected communities through an equity lens for adapting/coping/surviving with the new normal situation
2. Focus on enhanced capabilities of Broadcasters and Stakeholders for exercising new normal and building resilience
3. Accelerate of ICT applications for benefitting community people in all aspects of life
4. Effective access to reliable information through ICT and media for countering infodemic and keeping lives & livelihood easy
5. Create the right environment for vaccine confidence to thrive, the COVID-19: Vaccine Education & identify the misinformation, disinformation, and mal-information & facilitate the lives and livelihoods of the people by providing scientific information to counter the spread of common misinformation, disinformation, and mal-information in rural Bangladesh. (From February 2021)
We have the pleasure to send herewith the details about BNNRC COVID-19: Accelerating Community Radio Broadcasting through Challenging Time for your kind perusal. Please find the following link:
Accelerating Community Radio Broadcasting through ChallengingTime
We are looking forward to your continuous engagement, support and contribution in COVID-19: Adaptation Priority – Objectives & Broadcast Contents through Community Radio & Community Visual Radio or any other development issues in Bangladesh.
