Toby Mendel, Executive Director of the Centre for Law and Democracy met Mr. Murtuza Ahmed, hon’ble Secretary of Ministry of Information, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh at Bangladesh Secretariat recently & discussed various Media Development issues in Bangladesh in line with Media Development Indicators (MDI) promoted by UNESCO around the world.
Toby Mendel, Executive Director of the Centre for Law and Democracy of Canada during his meeting with the Secretary of Ministry of Information, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh appreciated Bangladesh’s step for preparing National Broadcasting Act, National Broadcasting Commission 2015 & Community radio policy and expressed interest for providing technical cooperation to develop Media Development Indicators (MDI) in Bangladesh in collaboration with Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC).
The Secretary of Ministry of Information, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh welcomed the proposal and assured him that Ministry of Information would take necessary steps for developing Media Development Indicators (MDI) in consultation with all media stakeholders in Bangladesh.
It can be mentioned that Mr. Murtuza Ahmed, Secretary of Ministry of Information, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh is a vice chair of International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC) of UNESCO.
Toby Mendel, Executive Director of the Centre for Law and Democracy of Canada said Centre for Law and Democracy and Ministry of Information can work together in the area of Media Development Indicators (MDI), Media literacy and Indicators for Media Viability (IMB) and there is a scope for promoting Bangladeshi experience in other Asia and Pacific countries.
Toby Mendel, Executive Director of the Centre for Law and Democracy of Canada has published extensively on freedom of expression, Right to information, Communication rights and refugee issues, including comparative legal and analytical studies on public service broadcasting, the right to information and broadcast policy.
Independent Media Consultant Jamil Ahmed and Chief Executive Officer of Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) were present during the meeting.
By bnnrc
AHM Bazlur Rahman-S21BR is Chief Executive Officer and founder Secretary of Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC). He has more than 20 years experience in leveraging community media and right to communication to create successful policy advocacy in Bangladesh in line with community media development. His areas of expertise straddle community media policy advocacy, training, project management especially in the area of community media.
He founded Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC). BNNRC Devoted Entirely to Promote Community Media for Development (CM4D). BNNRC Leads Supports and Advocates for the Initiators to actively provide independent community broadcasting in Bangladesh since 2000. BNNRC represent the community electronic media sector to Government, Industry, Regulatory Bodies, Media, Academia and Development Partners from 2000. The BNNRC provides leadership and support for rural initiators to facilitate independent electronic community broadcasting services and to build and strengthen rural communities.
He 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. BNNRC's outreach extends to local, national and international forums for communicating Knowledge for Development (KM4D). In this backdrop, communication is recognized as an essential human need and, therefore, as a basic human right. Our working strategies are:
1. Communicating on the Public Sphere: The role of communication and media in exercising democratic political participation in society
2. Communicating Knowledge: The terms and means by which knowledge generated by society is communicated, or blocked, for use by different groups.
3. Civil Rights in Communication: The exercise of civil rights relating to the processes of communication in society &
4. Cultural Rights in Communication: The communication of diverse cultures, cultural forms and identities at the individual and social levels.
BNNRC now strives for the following core interventions to contribute in achieving 6th five Years Plan, UN World Summit on the Information Society (UN WSIS) Action Plan and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) through:
Right to Information- RTI for ensuring improved livelihood of the marginalized
ICT for Development- ICT4D for Bridging the Digital Divide in rural areas &
Community Radio/Community TV/ Community Film for amplifying voices for the voiceless and Amateur Radio for Disaster Risk Reduction
He graduated from University of Dhaka and Post graduated from Asian University of Bangladesh in the field of Social Science (MSS) in Government & Politics and Participated in certificate course on Development Management by Participatory Research in Asia (PRIA) New Delhi, India
He currently founder member of Bangladesh Working Group on UN World Summit on the Information Society (UN WSIS) headed by Bangladesh Government, Community Radio Monitoring Committee of Ministry of Information, People’s Republic of Bangladesh, founder member of Bangladesh UN Internet Governance Forum( UN IGF) Headed by Minister, Ministry of Information, Multi-stakeholder Steering Group Members of Asia Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum (AP-RIGF) & Distinguish Fellow, Center for e-Parliament Research. Contact: ceo@bnnrc.net www.bnnrc.net
View all of bnnrc's posts.
