Eight Community Radio Stations as a knowledge tool in responding to Climate change & disaster risk reduction at coastal areas in Bangladesh

1. COMMUNITY
CLIMATE AIRWAVES
Eight Community Radio Stations as a knowledge tool in responding to
Climate change & disaster risk reduction at coastal areas in Bangladesh
Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio
and Communication (BNNRC) is in
Special Consultative Status with the
Economic and Social Council,
accredited with World Summit on the
Information Society (WSIS) of the
United Nations and UN WSIS prize
winner 2016, Champion 2017 and 2019.
BNNRC’s approach to media
development is both
knowledge-driven and
context-sensitive, and it takes into
account the challenges and
opportunities created by the rapidly
changing media environment in
Bangladesh including community
radio development giving voices for
the voiceless. BNNRC is actively
working to improve recognition of the
community electronic media sector &
its work in and involvement with the
communities. BNNRC represents the
community electronic media sector to
Government, Industry, Regulatory
Bodies, Media, Academia and
Development Partners from 2000.
The Community Radio stations are an
integral part of the disaster risk
management and climate change
process in coastal areas of
Bangladesh. Community Radio
stations are the fastest channels for
the broadcasting of knowledge and
information across the coastal areas.
Community Radio programs are quite
supportive to the intervention
reflected in 7th 5 year plan of
Government of Bangladesh, UN
World Summit on the Information
Society Action Plan, UN SDG‘s, United
Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change, Sendai Framework
for Disaster Risk Reduction
2015-2030, Bangladesh on the March
Towards Prosperity 2018 &
Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy
and Action Plan.
Program broadcasting of the
community radio stations aims to
reduce or avoid the potential losses
and damages caused by hazards, or
climate change assure prompt and
appropriated assistance to
communities achieve rapid and
effective recovery in line with the
Building Back Better.
BNNRC have been engaged in using
eight community radio stations of
coastal areas of Bangladesh as a
knowledge tool, community radio
offers benefits in the following ways:
Speaking to communities in local
languages using terms and phrases
that are easily understood; Providing
two-way interactive social learning
through listeners’ clubs, call-in shows,
and other forms of exchange;
Enabling the communication and
exchange of knowledge between
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2. people who need it, e.g. rural farmers,
in a consumable, deployable and
non-threatening way; Communicating
local knowledge, needs and demands
beyond the community to inform
policy, research, and other
communities; Providing the only
media available to communities that
have little or no access to other
methods of conveying information
and knowledge;
Now 18 Community Radio stations
are broadcasting 160 hours program
per day in Bangladesh aiming to
ensure empowerment and right to
information for the rural community.
Around 1000 youth women & youth
are now working with those stations
throughout the country as rural
broadcasters. In Bangladesh now
community radio is not just about
broadcast content; it is mostly about
the process of community
engagement.
Eight coastal community radio
stations are broadcasting altogether
60 hours program per day on
information, education, local
entertainment and development
motivation activities. Around 80 youth
women & youth are now working with
those stations throughout the coastal
areas as coastal community
broadcasters.
The quality programs and the
contents produced by rural youth
and youth women of community
Community Radio
CASE STUDIES:
Community Radio Meghna Charfession, Bhola
Broadcasting for empowering women in the area
Community Radio Meghna is working in Charfession upazila of Bhola district; a
largest island in Bangladesh. It is playing significant role for dissemination of
early warning messages, local weather messages, coping mechanism to disasters,
information recovery and rehabilitation and also information on first aid,
evacuation, cyclone shelters and standing orders on disaster after cautionary
signal no. 4 and other GoB instructions on emergency basis.
The radio has drawn the attention of the community people. They are now
getting the development messages through community radio. The Radio is being
run by all youth women.
For more information:
https://bnnrc.net/community-radio-meghna-broadcasting-for-empowering-wom
en-in-the-area
Community Radio Sagor Dwip Hatiya, Noakhali
Voice of the Hatiya Island
Community Radio Sagor Dwip situated in Hatiya upazila under Noakhali district
has drawn the attention of local residents through broadcasting news and
programs on natural disasters and disaster hazards.
It is playing significant role for dissemination of early warning messages, local
weather messages, coping mechanism to disasters, information recovery and
rehabilitation and also information on first aid, evacuation, cyclone shelters and
standing orders on disaster after cautionary signal no. 4 and other GoB
instructions on emergency basis.
For more information:
https://bnnrc.net/community-radio-sagordwip-voice-of-the-hatiya-island
broadcasters have already earned
recognition by many institutions at
home and abroad. Among others we
can mention the UN World Summit
on the Information Society (UN
WSIS) winner Award 2016, champion
awards 2017 & 2019, Asia Pacific
Broadcasting Union (ABU), UNICEF
Meena Media & National Population
Award etc.
The Community Radios are becoming
an active ground for organizing
dialogues at rural level. These
dialogues are helping the rural mass
to find out their own voice and
ensure leverage their free opinion in
respect of social, economic, political,
cultural and environmental issues.
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3. Community Radio Sundarban Koyra, Khulna
Broadcasting for conservation of nature and promoting rights of
marginalized people
Radio Sundarban is situated at Koyra upazila of Khulna near World’s biggest
mangrove forest Sundarban. Radio Sundarban is working to raise awareness
among the deprived marginal people for technical education. It is working to
uphold the rights of ethnic minority community living in the areas and
surroundings of Sundarban through community magazine program and aware
policy makers through these programs.
For more information:
https://bnnrc.net/community-radio-sundarban-broadcasting-for-conservation-of
-nature-and-promoting-rights-of-marginalized-people
Community Rural Radio Krishi Amtoli, Barguna
Krishi Radio broadcasting for the farmers empowerment
Rural Community Radio Krishi is the only government community radio, which
was established by Agricultural Information Service. The programs of the radio
are so popular that the listeners have formed many listener groups by their own
initiatives.
For more information:
https://bnnrc.net/community-rural-radio-krishi-radio-broadcasting-for-the-farm
ers-empowerment
Community Radio Lokobetar Barguna Sadar
Broadcasting for coastal people
Community radio Lokobetar is playing significant role for dissemination of early
warning messages, local weather messages, coping mechanism to disasters,
information recovery and rehabilitation and also information on first aid,
evacuation, cyclone shelters and standing orders on disaster after cautionary
signal no. 4 and other GoB instructions on emergency basis.
For more information:
https://bnnrc.net/community-radio-lokobetar-broadcasting-for-coastal-people
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Community Radio Sagor Giri Sitakunda, Chattogram
Helps to aware people about disaster
The community radio Sagor Giri is situated in Chattogram’s Sitakunda upazila has
drawn attention of local residents through broadcasting news and programs on
natural disasters and disaster risk reduction and preparedness during the time
of disaster including landslide. Radio Sagor Giri aiming to provide rural people
with their life and livelihood related information.
It is playing significant role for dissemination of early warning messages, local
weather messages, coping mechanism to disasters, information recovery and
rehabilitation and also information on first aid, evacuation, cyclone shelters and
standing orders on disaster after cautionary signal no. 4 and other GoB
instructions on emergency basis.
For more information:
https://bnnrc.net/community-radio-sagar-giri-helps-to-aware-people-about-disaster

4. Community Radio Nalta Kaligonj, Satkhira
Broadcasting program with the emphasis on youth development and
disaster risk reduction
Radio Nalta is playing significant role for dissemination of early warning
messages, local weather messages, coping mechanism to disasters, information
recovery and rehabilitation and also information on first aid, evacuation, cyclone
shelters and standing orders on disaster after cautionary signal no. 4 and other
GoB instructions on emergency basis.
Radio Nalta has become a friend to the people of Satkhira’s coastal belt in
disaster and distress. The most striking fact is that about 80 thousand fishing
labors of the area regularly listen to the radio.
For more information:
https://bnnrc.net/community-radio-nalta-broadcasting-program-on-youth-devel
opment-and-disaster-risk-reduction
Community Radio Naf Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar
Works to aware people about Rohingya Influx
Radio Naf is playing an important role to aware host community about Rohingya
issue. People of the country’s southern district Cox’s Bazar’s Teknaf upazila did
not have a chance to listen to radio, as even the Bangladesh Betar cannot be
heard from this very distant part. However, Community Radio Naf was started
journey in lagged behind and natural disaster-prone upazila Teknaf.
For more information:
https://bnnrc.net/radio-naf-works-to-aware-people-about-rohingya-influx
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BNNRC, House: 9/4, Road: 02, Shaymoli, Dhaka-1207, Bangladesh. +88 02 9130750 | +88 02 9101479 | +88 02 9138501 | +88 02
9138501, bnnrcbd@gmail.com | ceo@bnnrc.net, www.bnnrc.net
This publication has been made possible with support from COAST Trust under the project of Community-led initiatives for climate justice
and resilience in the islands and coastal areas of the Bay of Bengal in Bangladesh.
Kaligonj
Satkhira
Koyra
Khulna Amtoli
Barguna
Barguna
Sadar Charfesssion
Bhola
Hatiya
Noakhali
Sitakunda
Chattogram
Teknaf
Cox’s Bazar