How the Community Radio in Bangladesh Are Going On?

Amin Al Rasheed, Senior Reporter, ABC Radio FM aminalrasheed@gmail.com After having license provided by the Government of Bangladesh, almost all the 14 Community Radios of the country started test broadcasting with the objectives that coastal people will live with disaster and contribute as facilitator of the local development. Some of the stations also go for full transmission. Out of these, one Community Rural Radio Krishi Radio 98.8FM installed in Amtali, Borguna was started on 1st January of this year. The rest of the 13 radio stations, initiated by different nongovt.organizations, can be listened through FM band. More 22 applications have been submitted for Community Radio. After the applications are properly scrutinized and if the security intelligence dept. provides clearance, then the govt.will release more licenses for new Community Radio stations. Recently, Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) took initiative to publish a booklet on how the existing stations started working, how they are functioning, what are the possible impacts they might create on the community. I was given the responsibility to edit the Book.Honourable Minister for Information and Cultural Affairs unfolded the cover of the book, while he was attending as Chief Guest in Bangladesh Community Radio Conference on 25th February at IDB Bhaban, Dhaka. The conference was organized by Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC). Mentionable that, BNNRC is a common networking platform for all the CR initiators and involved in capacity strengthening of community radio professionals of the country. Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication is promoting the advocacy with the government in relations to community radio with other organizations since its emergence from 2000. BNNRC has been addressing the radio access issue for over a decade, helping to bridge the information gap. At the moment, positive and supportive condition is prevailing in our country. Because; Bangladesh Government has already acknowledged the importance of community radio and announced the Community Radio Installation, Broadcast & Operation Policy. Bangladesh is the 2nd country in South Asia in formulating policy for Community Radio. Separate reports were prepared on 14 Community Radio stations by the local journalists, with those I have had good relationship.Also, I have visited personally in some of the stations. There, I have shared experiences with station staffs. I found some positive response within the community to the radio stations of their area. Somewhere, it seems even greater than that of FM commercial radio channels. At the moment, there are six FM (commercially-run) radio stations. These are: ABC Radio, Radio Today, Radio Furti, Radio Amar, Radio Dhaka and Peoples Radio. They dont have any broadcast boundary. With this freedom, Radio Today and Radio Furti have already started their transmission in big cities outside Dhaka.ABC Radio is likely to go on broadcasting programs in Chittagong and Coxesbazar area by this year. Whereas, community radio policy has fixed its transmission area within the 17 km radius , which may cover one or more upazila of a district.

In 1st phase of 14 stations, Community Radio Padma 99.2 FM was set up in Rajshahi city. Center for Communication & Development (CCD)-an organization promoting mass communication and journalism is the initiator of this station has started its formal transmission on 7th October as the 1st Community Radio station of the country. Community Radio Mukti 99.2 FM, initiated by an NGOLandless Distressed Rehabilitation Organization(LDRO) started test transmission on 31st October(2011) from Bogra. Naogaon Naogaon Human Rights Development Association an NGO of Naogaon is starting test transmission Community Barendra Radio 99.2 FM. RDRS Bangladesh another reputed NGO has started broadcasting of Community Radio Chilmari 99.2 FM (set up at Chilmari Upazila) on 5th January of this year.Shono Bahe, Jago Bahe-is their slogan. Community

Radio Mahananda 98.8 was initiated in Chapainawabganj by Proyash Manobik Unnayan Society-an NGO of the area. It has started its transmission on 28th October (2011). BRAC-the largest NGO of the subcontinent has initiated Community Radio Pallikantha 99.2 at Moulvibazar, which started its formal transmission on 12th January this year. Mass Line Media Center-a media organization started test transmission of Community Radio LokoBetar 99.2 at Amtali of Barguna district on 27th of May , 2011.Nalta Hospital and Community Health Foundation established Community Radio Nalta 99.2 at Kaliganj upazila of Satkhira dstrict.It has started its transmission on 13th May of the last year.

Broadcasting Asia of Bangladesh a TVET related organization initiated Community Radio Sundarban 98.8 at Koyra upazila of Khulna. It has started transmission on February 15 this year. Community Radio Jhinuk 99.2 , initiated by Srizoni Bangladesh started its transmission on December 17; last year at Jhenaidah Sadar.Young Power in Social Action (YPSA) established Community Radio Sagargiri 99.2 at Sitakunda in Chittagong district. It has started its transmission on 24th November last year. ACLAB, an NGO will soon start Community Radio Naf 99.2 FM at Tekhnaf of Coxs Bazar. Environment Council Bangladesh (EC Bangladesh) has established Community Radio Bikrampur 99.2 at Munshiganj. It will go for test transmission very soon. The stations are broadcasting programs as per their capacity and convenience. However Radio Padma may be an exception, for they are broadcasting programs 18 hours in a day and presenting news per hour.Meanwhile, this radio, by broadcasting programs on diversified issues, have made enormous impact and gained popularity around the community.

In most of the stations, there are scanty of resources particularly of human resources, equipment, even of creative idea and program production capacity. Some of the stations are found quite organized; having soundproof studio and somewhere the situation seems reverse. But the local community people are now aware of their radio stations. At one end, community radio is playing significant role in information sharing on important development issues like agriculture, education or health and at other end it has been a popular source for their entertainment. Community Radio has become a pioneering example of people's participation in mass media. On top, community people are now considering community radio as their own media. They feel pride and pleasure out of this sense of ownership. Within a few months of broadcasting of Krishi Radio at Amtali, revolutionary changes through information flow could be seen in the lives and livelihood of the farmers in the area. The radio programs provided impacts and accelerated the rural economy in the area.10 voluntary groups have been formed there by involving local farmers and fisherman. They have been provided training on capacity development so that they would act as news workers by sending different types of information (including farmers' problems) to Radio stations by using cell phone. By this time, "Radio Pallikantha"has become so popular that community people purchase radio sets and invite the others to listen. The radio clubs arrange radio listening for the community. Since the

programs are broadcasted in their own dialect, community people are considering their station as their own institution.Jahid Hasan, an auto rickshaw puller of Chilmari stated, "we have listened Radio from the outside throughout our lives, now we listen our performers to sing in our own station, this is really a great experience."Upazila Chilmari is constituted mostly by a number of char islands, where boat is the only means to connect upazila sadar.At evening, when boat does not move and the char dwellers become disconnected from the main land, only Radio Chilmari connects them. Likewise, Radio Jhinuk gives special focus on suicidal issue, since this is the topmost social problems in Jhenaidah area.

As a matter of fact, in mainstream (traditional) mass media, we usually listen, read or see the lives and stories of the privileged community. The disadvantaged community can only visit the media when any disaster occurs or any rare success story happens in their life. A long-cherished dream has now been fulfilled that community people have got their own mass media, where they will operate & control, perform, listen and share their own pleasure and pain, disseminate weather forecast or market price in their own dialect. That dream is now at our door steps and it would not be a day-dream if we can think of at least 60 community radio by 2015 and 400 community radios by 2021 for a country of 1.6 billion people. Specially we can dream of community radio to become the mainstream media in the disadvantaged area of the country. -----------------------------------------------

AHM Bazlur Rahman- S21BR | Chief Executive Officer | Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication

ceo@bnnrc.net | www.bnnrc.net