Four community radio stations in Bangladesh have received nine awards in radio category in UNICEF 14th Meena Media Award-2018 for their contribution to innovation in media and protection of child rights in the year 2018. This is the highest number of awards received by one single category in the media competition.
As in every year, UNICEF Bangladesh has organised this competition. The winning stations are Community Radio Jhenuk 99.2, Community Radio Bikrampur 99.2, Community Radio Pollikontha 99.2 and Community Radio Borendro 99.2.
Earlier Eight Community radio stations of the country participated and submitted altogether 71 radio programs in the competition under two categories –below and above 18 years of age. These programs reflected important issues like- Children’s for children’s, Children health hazard through a high range of miking, Social media affected children, Child Marriage, Violence against Children, Health Care of Children, Teenage Puberty period , Child education and rights etc.Out of these 71 programs, 17 programs from 6 community radio stations have got the nomination and nine programs have received the final award.
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.
The final awardees are as follows:
Radio-Creative category (Under 18 years): 1st prize: Sharmin Sultana Shoshi from Community Radio Borendro 99.2. Drama, Theme: Rights of Children. 2nd Prize: Sabbir Ahmed Joy from Community Radio Pollikontha 99.2, Magazine Theme: Why Children are victimized in trafficking, violence and drug addiction, 3rd Prize: Nyma Akter Papia from Community Radio Pollikontha 99.2. Drama, Theme: Children Health Care. Mentioned that, in this category (Under 18 years) all the programs have nominated from Community Radio.
Radio-creative category (Over 18 years): 3rd prize: Prosenjit Datt from Community Radio Pollikontha 99.2 Drama, Theme: Violence against Children. The contestants from Private FM Radio Shadhin and Government broadcasting- Bangladesh Betar received the 1st and 2nd prize respectively in this category.
Radio-Report category (Under 18 years): 1st prize: Ishmam Tahsin Ahmed from Community Radio Pollikontha 99.2.Theme: Child Marriage, 2nd Prize: Al Mamun from Community Radio Jhenuk 99.2 FM. Theme: Maidservants don’t get an opportunity to keep their own religion, 3rd Prize: Sumi Akter from Community Radio Bikrampur 99.2. Theme: Puberty period of the teenage girl of gipsy community. All the winners of this category have also from Community Radio.
Radio-Report category (Over 18 years) 1st prize: Mr. Mashfic Salahin Sihab from Community Radio Bikrampur 99.2 Theme: Religious prejudice in Madrasa education and 3rd prize: Shahanaj Akter also from Community Radio Bikrampur 99.2 Theme: Children are being used in political activities and the 2nd prize was won by Radio Today
Mr. Edouard Beigbeder on behalf of UNICEF Bangladesh, UNICEF Bangladesh Goodwill Ambassadors Actress, Ms. Arifa Zaman Moushumi and Magician Mr. Jewel Aich and renowned novelist Ms. Selina Hossain presented crest, certificate and award money to the winners in the ceremony held at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka on November 20, 2018.
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.
The 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. 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. Mithila Farzana, Journalist and Teacher, 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.
Now 18 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 121 upazillas under 16 districts in Bangladesh.
