Community Radio for Rural Development in Bangladesh

1. Community Radio
for
Development
AHM Bazlur Rahman-S21BR
Chief Executive Officer
Bangladesh NGOs Network for
Radio and Communication
ceo@bnnrc.net

3. State of Radio Broadcasting
in Bangladesh
Public Service Broadcasting
Bangladesh Betar/Radio
12 Regional MW and 25 FM
Commercial Broadcasting
9 FM Stations total 25
Community Broadcasting
14 Stations + 2 Newly Approved
International Broadcasting
BBC, NHK, CRI &
VOA
Internet Radio ?

4. Human Needs and Rights
Knowledge Societies
Pluralism
Human Needs and RightsHuman Needs and Rights
Knowledge SocietiesKnowledge Societies
PluralismPluralism
Knowledge
Creation Dissemination UtilizationPreservation
Knowledge Knowledge Knowledge
Mission of
Community
Media
in Bangladesh

5. Straggle for Community
Radio
Movement Started from
1998
Community Radio Policy by
Ministry of Information
2008
14 Community Radio Approved
by Ministry of Information
2010
Community Radio on-air
from 2011
Community Radio Strategy 2011
by Ministry of Information
Another 22 waiting for final approval
from Ministry of Information

6. Community Radio & Rural Development
 Facilitates information flow-
ensuring improved livelihood of the
marginalized
 Plays ‘fourth estate’/ watchdog role Give
voice to the voiceless
 Venue for development dialogues
 Set agenda Enable public adaptation to
change and the local appropriation of
knowledge and information

7. Community & Rural Development
 Owned by the people, they can control it Physically close to its constituent
– know local needs, aspirations , challenges and opportunities better It is
participatory in production and dissemination of content
 Enhance community dialogue which is highly missing rural areas
 Bondage between the community people and local-level community radio
stations are getting strengthened day-by-day
 Community Radio has now become their part of life. Community Radio
becomes the instrument for the livelihood battle of the rural people.
Access to resources + Fairer Institutions + Participation and
engagement + Enabling Environment

8. A frame Work for Action
Global Drivers:
- UN World Summit on the
Information Society
(UN WSIS) 2003 & 2005
- UN Convention on the Rights
of the Child UN MDGs
- UN Convention Against
Corruption- UNCAC
- UN FCCC
National drivers
- Right to Information law 2009
of Ministry of Information
- ICT Policy 2009 of Ministry
of Science and ICT
- 6th Five Years Plan of
Ministry of Planning and
Finance 2012
- Digital Bangladesh Strategy
, Prime Minister’s Office

9. Collaboration
and Policy
support

10. Approaches to Sustainability
& Challenge
Policy level :
Community Radio Policy 2008
National Strategy on CR Policy 2011
Institutional Level:
Advisory Committee
Monitoring Committee
By-Laws/ HR & Financial Policy
Social Level:
Management Committee
In line with Community ownership &
Control & Community Engagement
In line with program
Financial Sustainability :
A non-profit business Model
CR Trust Fund Development
Advertisement Policy
Partnership with Local Government
Major Challenge:
- Community Mobilization
- Regular Operation
- Skills for Staff

11. Program & Community Broadcasters
Total Hours : 120 Hours
Total Community Broadcaster
Youth: 284
Youth- Women 252
Future Plan for Community Radio
- By 2012, 14 Operational CR
- By 2013 at-least 30 CR Station
- By 2021 60 CR Station