Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) is in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), accredited with World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) of the United Nations and UN WSIS prize winner 2016, Champion 2017 and 2019.
BNNRC’s approach to media development is both knowledge-driven and context-sensitive, and it takes into account the challenges and opportunities created by the rapidly changing media environment in Bangladesh including community radio development giving voices for the voiceless. BNNRC is actively working to improve recognition of the community electronic media sector (Community Radio & Community TV) & its work in and involvement with the communities. BNNRC represents the community electronic media sector to Government, Industry, Regulatory Bodies, Media, Academia and Development Partners from 2000.
The Community Radio stations are an integral part of the disaster risk management and climate change process in coastal areas of Bangladesh. Community Radio stations are the fastest channels for the broadcasting of knowledge and information across the coastal areas.
Program broadcasting of the community radio stations aims to reduce or avoid the potential losses and damages caused by hazards, or climate change assure prompt and appropriated assistance to communities achieve rapid and effective recovery in line with the Building Back Better.
BNNRC is playing the role of catalyst and contributed significantly in strengthening information service on disaster risk reduction and capacity building of community radio stations in addressing the emergency situation during the time of disaster like Mahasen, Komen, Roanu, Mora and Fani.+—–
BNNRC has been e1qngaged in using eight community radio stations of coastal areas of Bangladesh as a knowledge tool, community radio offers benefits in the following ways: Speaking to communities in local languages using terms and phrases that are easily understood; Providing two-way interactive social learning through listeners’ clubs, call-in shows, and other forms of exchange; Enabling the communication and exchange of knowledge between people who need it, e.g. rural farmers, in a consumable, deployable and non-threatening way; Communicating local knowledge, needs and demands beyond the community to inform policy, research, and other communities; Providing the only media available to communities that have little or no access to other methods of conveying information and knowledge;
Now 18 Community Radio stations are broadcasting 160 hours program per day in Bangladesh aiming to ensure empowerment and right to information for the rural community. Around 100 youth women & youth are now working with those Stations throughout the country as rural broadcasters. In Bangladesh now community radio is not just about broadcast content; it is mostly about the process of community engagement.
Eight coastal community radio stations are broadcasting altogether 60 hours program per day on information, education, local entertainment, and development motivation activities. Around 80 youth women & youth are now working with those stations throughout the coastal areas as coastal community broadcasters.
These programs are quite supportive of the intervention reflected in 7th 5 year plan of Government of Bangladesh, UN World Summit on the Information Society (UN WSIS) Action Plan, UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, Bangladesh on the march towards Prosperity 2018 & Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan.
The quality programs and the contents produced by rural youth and youth women of community broadcasters have already earned recognition by many institutions at home and abroad. Among others, we can mention the UN World Summit on the Information Society (UN WSIS) winner Award 2016, champion awards 2017 & 2019, Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), UNICEF Meena Media & National Population Award, etc.
Citizens representing different groups of the society and government acknowledged and appreciated community radio role in emergencies as only community radio broadcasting services were available due to the failure of electricity in the disaster period. (Community radio was on the air by generator support during the disaster)
Eight radio stations are Community Radio Meghna 99.00 (Charfasion, Bhola Island) Community Radio Nalta 99.2 (Kaligonj, Satkhira), Community Radio Sundarban 98.8 ((Koyra, Khulna), Community Lokobetar 99.2 (Barguna sadar), Community Rural Radio Krishi Radio 98.8 (Amtoli, Barguna), Community Radio Naf 99.2 (Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar), Community Radio Sagargiri 99.2 (Sitakunda, Chittagong), and Community Radio Sagardwip 99.2 (Hatiya, Noakhali).
Community Radios are becoming an active ground for organizing dialogues at the rural level. These dialogues are helping the rural mass to find out their own voice and ensure leverage their free opinion in respect to social, economic, political, cultural and environmental issues.
For more information:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DVJ9bP_ZgBVNx6Pn96wRr6_PkLLTXjsi/view