Four community radio stations of the country received eight awards in radio category in Meena Media Award-2017 for their contribution to innovation in media and protection of child rights in the year 2017.

As in every year, UNICEF Bangladesh has organized this competition. The winning stations are Community Radio Pollikontha 99.2, Community Radio Mahananda 98.8, Community Radio Jhenuk 99.2 and Community Radio Sarabela 98.8.

Earlier Eleven Community radio stations of the country participated and submitted altogether 81 radio programs in the competition under two categories –below and above 18 years of age. These programs reflected important issues like -child of broken families, ill competition of guardians, curriculum of Madrasa education, violence against children , Rights of transgender children of third gender, increase viewers of violence against child in social media, mid-day meal in school, child marriage, child education, child labor , young generation and Liberation War, health care and nutrition for children in the society etc. Out of these 81 programs, 15 programs from 4 community radio stations have got the nomination and 8 programs have received the final award. This is the highest number of awards received by one single category in the media competition.

The final awardees are as follows:
Radio-Creative category (Under 18 years): 1st prize: Md. Gulam Mustofa Tareq from Community Radio Pollikontha 99.2. Drama, Theme: Rights of Transgender Children. 2nd Prize: Al Mamun Raju from Community Radio Radio Jhenuk 99.2, Magazine, Theme: Ill competition of guardians regarding children’s education. 3rd Prize: Hamim Rahman Khan from Community Radio Pollikontha 99.2. Drama, Theme: Increase viewers of violence against Children in social media. Mentioned that, in this category (Under 18 years) all the programs have nominated from Community Radio.

Radio-creative category (Over 18 years): 2nd prize: Md. Monirul Islam from Community Radio Mahananda 98.8, Gombhira, Theme: Nutrition for Children. The contestants from Private FM Radio Shadhin and Government broadcasting- Bangladesh Betar received the 1st and 3rd prize respectively in this category.

Radio-Report category (Under 18 years): 1st prize: Md. Shajedul Islam from Community Radio Jhenuk 99.2.Theme: Increase drop out due to the proper curriculum of Madrasa education. 2nd Prize: Sejuty Hasan Adity from Community Radio Sarabela 98.8 FM. Theme: Lack of child entertaining books in local libraries in Gaibandha, 3rd Prize: Esme Azam Prosonno from Community Radio Sarabela 98.8 FM. Theme: Mid-Day Meal in school.

Radio-Report category (Over 18 years) 1st prize: Santa Rani from Community Radio Sarabela 98.8FM. Theme: Child Rape and present situation. The 2nd and 3rd prize was won by the BBC Bangla

Mr. Hasanul Huq Inu, MP, Honorable Minister, Ministry of Information and Mr. Edouard Beigbeder on behalf of UNICEF Bangladesh presented crest, certificate and award money to the winners in the ceremony held at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center in Dhaka on December 14, 2017.

The winners received taka 50,000 ( around 650 US $) for 1st prize, taka 25,000 ( around 350 US $) for the 2nd and taka 15,000 ( 200 US $) for 3rd position.

UNICEF Bangladesh Goodwill Ambassadors Actress, Ms. Arifa Zaman Moushumi and Magician Mr. Jewel Aich were also present in the ceremony.

Eleven member expert panel of judges comprising of creative writers, veteran media professionals and academics assessed each entry through a strict marking process where the names of the participants were replaced by a specific code number.

The judges included, renowned novelist Ms. Selina Hossain, Mr. Shahnoor Wahid (The Daily Star), Mr. Robaet Ferdous, Professor, Dept of Mass Communication and Journalism, University of Dhaka, Mr. Fahmidul Haque, Professor, Dept of Mass Communication and Journalism, University of Dhaka, Dr. Zakir Hossain Raju, Professor of Media and Communication and Director of the Centre for Social Science Research (CSSR) at Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB), Mr. Kadir Kollol, BBC Bangla’s Dhaka Correspondent, Mr. Ratan Paul, Children’s Film Society Bangladesh (CFS) Ms. Samia Zaman, Editor and Chief Executive Officer News 24 TV Channel, Ms. Mithila Farzana, Journalist and Teacher, Mr. Rafiqur Rahman, Ms. Jannatul Mawa and Mr. Abu Naser Siddique.

The Meena Media Award was introduced by UNICEF in 2005 to celebrate excellence in both print media and electronic media and to promote child rights and greater coverage of children’s issues in the media. The award is named after Meena, a popular animation character held dear by children and adults alike in Bangladesh. Meena is a change agent in her community and her stories champion the rights of children across South Asia.

Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) actively works to improve recognition of the community electronic media sector [Community Radio | Community TV | Community Film] & its work in and involvement with the communities it seeks to serve from 2000.

Now 17 Community Radio Stations are on-air in the country, aiming to ensure empowerment and right to information for the rural community. They are broadcasting altogether 138 hours program per day on information, education, local entertainment and development motivation activities. Around 1000 Youth Women & Youth are now working with those stations throughout the country as rural broadcasters within 6.6 million rural people in 119 upazillas under 16 districts in Bangladesh.