Background
contribution in CR programs
Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio &
Communication-BNNRC is the apex body of the
community media sector to promote community
media to the Government, Industry, Regulatory
Bodies, Media and Development Partners in
Bangladesh. 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.
Bangladesh formally entered the era of community
radio on 7 October 2011 and currently 17 stations
are on air in different parts of the country.This new
media has created opportunity for the poor and
marginalized community to raise their own
voice;which is acknowledged as “Voices of
Voiceless”. Community Radio is facilitating social
dialogue and interaction among the community and
service providers and also making the bridge
between elected representatives and the community.
Currently17 CR stations are broadcasting 135 hours
program in a day. These programs are designed
considering local context, local culture & heritage,
community need and also the mainstreaming
development agenda of the Government of
Bangladesh. Different groups of people in the
community including the listeners are consulted for
developing the contents of the CR programs.
Community Radio Installation, Broadcast and
Operation Policy 2008 enacted by the Government
of Bangladesh istreated as basic guideline for
designing and broadcasting community radio
programs and also the operation of CR stations.
Objectives
This policy brief has been prepared with following
objectives;
• To get an overview of community radio
programs
• To analyze relevance and effectiveness of CR
program for protecting community interest
• To find out the status of CR program in addressing
GoB development agenda and global commitment
• To get the scenario of community participation &
• To find CR program initiatives for addressing
social exclusion.
Methodology
Policy Brief titled “What is on air” is prepared
based on content analysis, reviewing program
schedule, discussion with Community Radio
Program Teams and some other secondary sources
including the information available in thewebsites
of community radio stations.
Program Format
There is similarity on the format of the program
among the community radio stations except some
exceptions. Very common programs includes -
News, Magazine Program, Discussion Session or
Talk-Show, phone-in, live telecasting, music, drama
etc. Some programs are recorded and some are live.
But there also some exceptional program in
particular station, such Radio Jenuk telecasts social
motivational program for reducing the rate of
suicide, as suicide rate is very high in broadcasting
areas of this radio station. Similarly Radio Mukti
located in Bogra broadcast program targeting the
river erosion victims and people living in char.
Who are the listeners?
Community Radio got popularity among different
section of the people in the society but generally
this is observed that, the youth and youth women,
and aged people are the main audience of
community radio programs. The audience
includes the farmers, students, teachers, senior
citizens, cultural activists, social movement
activist, CSO members, NGO officials, youth groups,
rickshaw pullers, fishermen, small entrepreneurs,
housewives, government officials, physically
challenged persons, tea shopper, adolescent, and
the excluded groups of the society. Number of total
listeners estimated around 6.18 million.
Listeners from marginalized and socially excluded
groups are increasing day by day. As a result of
fellowship program for Dalits community, both the
participation of dalits in CR program and number
of audience from that community significantly
increased.
Broad Areas of Community Radio Program
The CR programs can be categorized under three
broader areas, such as – Information,
Entertainment and Community Empowerment.
Apart from programs, the CR also telecast
development advertisement, Public Service
Announcement (PSA) and special program on the
theme of national and international days.
Prioritizing the community need in CR programs
C R Stations have diversity in program planning
addressing the issues related to life and livelihood
of the community. From content analysis this is
found that, CR stations have prioritized access to
information, entertainment program targeting the
community development, news, local government
issues, women empowerment, DRR & Climate Risk
Adaptation, agriculture information service, child
rights and also the issues related to technology
driven development.
Community Radio has established a model of
significant contribution in communicating the
people during emergencies, particularly in the area
of early warning dissemination, evacuation and
post disaster response. Special program was on air
for keeping the community update and alert during
Cyclone Roanu in May 2015 and Tropical Storm
Mahasena in May 2015 which resulted in reducing
the losses of lives and resources. The programs on
Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change
Adaptation has been designed to contribute
towards a resilient community in the disaster prone
areas particularly in coastal districts.
To contribute towards a knowledge based society,
the community radios are also broadcasting some
other programs such as - academic coaching, career
show ,rights to disable persons, health education,
social inclusion, local history& culture, program on
reproductive health, indigenous knowledge
sharing, music and drama, local talent hunting,
street show, learning English language, tourism,
history of liberation war and some other social and
economic issues including access to justice.
Addressing Special Need of the Marginalized
Community
Special need of the community is also addressed by
the Community Radios, such as rights to physically
challenged persons is considered with due
importance in program planning, even the
participation of the persons with disability. In
Radio Jhenuk, a youth who is blind is planning and
anchoring three popular programs.
The rights of marginalized community is also well
addressed by the CR stations, particularly the rights
of Dalits, Third Gender Persons, Street Children
have taken in programs with due importance.
Through the programs, the Community Radio plays
advocacy role for promotion and enforcement of
non-discriminatory laws and policies for
sustainable development
Supporting Development Agenda
Most of CR Programs are supportive to
mainstreaming development agenda of the
Government of Bangladesh in line with international
and national commitment such as 7th Five Years
Plan, UN Sustainable Development Goals, and
World Summit on the Information Society Action
Plan etc.
Contribution to achieving MDGs: Community
Radio programs made supplementary
contribution in achieving Millennium
Development Goals, particularly in achieving
Universal Primary Education (Goal -2), Achieving
Gender Equality (Goal # 3), Reduction in Child
Mortality (Goal # 4) and achieving Environmental
Sustainability ( Goal # 7).
Supporting 7th Five Years Plan ( 2016 -20 ):
Community Radio is contributing through its
program in strengthening information at
community level on key area of actions mentioned
in 7th Five Years Plan such asInstitutionalize
Citizen’s participation in local government bodies,
improving DRR & Climate Change adaptation
capacities,protection of natural resources and good
governance in environmental sustainability,
reduction of child mortality and awareness raising
on health care issues etc.
Supporting SDGs: Ongoing programs are also
designed in line with Sustainable Development
Goals – Good Health ( SDG & 3), Quality Education (
SDG # 4), Gender Equality ( SDG# 5), Clean Water &
Sanitation (SDG# 6), Climate Action ( SDG # 13),
Reduce Inequality ( SDG 10) and Peace and Justice
(SDG-16).
Supporting Top 10 Development Agenda of the
Honorable Prime Minister
The community radio programs are contributing
for achievement of 8 special programs out of 10
development agenda chosen by the Honourable
Prime Minsiter. These agenda includes- One House
and One Firm, Community Clinics, Asrayan(
housing to landless), Digital Bangladesh, Education
Assistance, Women Empowerment, social
safety-nets and Environmental Protection. Current
CR programs are not covering investment
expansion and electricity at every home.
Community Participation in Radio Programs
Some programs are planned and participated by
the community. Even the music groups make
contribution in payment to community radio
House: 9/4, Road: 02 Shaymoli, Dhaka-1207, Bangladesh
Email: bnnrcbd@gmail.com, ceo@bnnrc.net
Tel: +88 02 9130750, 9101479, 9138501, Fax: +88 02 9138501
station for their participation in radio programs.
They consider this access to media as
acknowledgement to their work and also an
opportunity to establish mutual partnership with
community radio . Similarly the members of
listeners club also take part in program twice in a
month regularly, where the listeners are the
artist, whole planning and performance is
managed by them, the CR station provide only the
technical support.
Recommendations
• Programs on Social Protection need to be
extended as the Government of Bangladesh spent
12% of its national budget for social protection
targeting the poverty eradication and social
empowerment of the community. Community
Radio role for strengthening information on
social protection can benefit the community in
large scale.
• For environment protection, 3R ( Reduce, Re-use
and Recycling ) can be promoted through CR
program. Electronic Waste Management can be a
good item for CR program
• Regular program on disaster preparedness can
contribute for promotion of DRR in every one’s
business
• Information on Small and Medium
Entrepreneurship ( SME)can boost rural
economy particularly in creating employment of
women in rural areas. It can also promen
women entrepreneurship across the country.
• More attention on information dissemination for
faecal sludge management, water and sanitation,
decent work, occupational safety and health and
rights of domestic worker will contribute more
for social justice, harmony and peace in the
society.
Dr. S M Morshed a Development Communication & Public
Relations Specialist engaged himself for media development
in Bangladesh. He has been working for several years to
promote pluralism in media, capacity building for media
and the democratization of development communication in
Bangladesh. He also promoted community media in
electronic media and currently conducting a study on
Sustainability of Community Radio in Bangladesh under
auspices of the Press Institute of Bangladesh. Mr. Morshed
served with INGO, NGOs, Government, Media and
development partners for last two decades as Development
Communication & Public Relations Specialist