Community radio in Bangladesh faces both prospects and challenges. There are now 14 community radio stations operating with 2 more soon to start. The key strategic objectives for community radio in Bangladesh are to create an enabling environment through supportive policy, build capacity of local officials, ensure community representation and ownership, and identify challenges to growth. Some challenges faced include unreliable electricity, lack of quality programming and trained staff, and socio-political pressures. Opportunities include government support for civil society and awareness of marginalized community rights. Annual reviews help stations improve community participation, skills, and address issues like unreliable electricity and staff turnover.

1. Sustainable Community Radio in Bangladesh: Prospects & Challenges
Sunday 9 June 2013
CR Radio Mahananda, Chapainawabganj
Tamanna Rahman
Coordinator, Training
BNNRC, Dhaka

2. - Community Radio Movement Started from 1998 by BNNRC with
other organization
- Community Radio Policy 2008 by Ministry of Information
- Three Committee for Community Radio
- National Regulatory Committee
- Technical Sub-Committee
- Central Monitoring Committee
- Community Radio Strategy 2011 of Ministry of Information 2011
- Ministry of Information(MOI) started process through Advertisement
- MOI received 200 application
- MOI selected 116 application for security clearance
- MOI provided license to 14 Community Radio station 2010
- Now 14 Community Radio Stations are ON AIR
- 2 more Community Radio Station are going to be started………….

4. Strategic Objectives of CR in Bangladesh:
• To create an enabling environment for the development of CR
supported by Policy and the National Implementation Strategy.
• To build the capacity of national and local government officials to
understand CR and effectively implement Policy
• To ensure community representation, participation and ownership, as
well as independence of CRs.
• To Identify main challenges to the growth of the CR sector in
Bangladesh in order to mitigate them.

5. Strategic Objectives of CR in Bangladesh
(Cont) ----
• To identify ways in which GoB and CRs can collaborate in the
implementation of the “Digital Bangladesh” vision, the Right to
Information Act 2009 and to achieve the GoB’s MDGs’ targets
• To enable and facilitate the institutional, financial and
social sustainability of CRs

7. Tackling of the Challenges
• Implement the CR Code of Conduct
• Build Awareness within other stakeholders
• Establishing better and more economical
technological options
• Empower local networks of CR stations
• An active audience/listeners’ engagement

8. Opportunities [towards achieving sustainability]:
• The government’s willingness to work with the civil society as well as
community radio activists is very high.
• The level of awareness about the rights of women, marginalized and
indigenous communities are very high at the community level and a
high level of empathy is found with development programs on in all
types of media.
• The willingness of government to support CR entrepreneurs is very
high.
• The policy ensures the promotion of development advertisements of
different government institutions.
• SME market is flourishing at grassroots level, which would ensure
access to development related private advertisements.

9. CRSs Progress: Reflections Annual Review & Planning, meeting on 30
May 2013
• Ensure Community Participation
• Knowledge Development at community level
• Exploring local talent
• Increased social integrity
• Create youth empowerment
• Network with local Govt. representatives
• Skill development in content as well as technical
• Promoting local culture
• Empowering the local community.
• Successful volunteer mobilization.

10. Challenges: Reflections Annual Review & Planning meeting’2013
• Uninterrupted of Electricity
• Lack of Quality Program
• Brain drainage of experienced staff
• No Back up Transmitter
• Dependence on centre-based technical support
• Lack of ICT material
• Lack of skilled and trained manpower support and resource person.
• Socio-political pressure, Political Pressure
• Business policy
• Natural and Manmade disaster
• Social stigma.

11. Possible Interventions: Reflections Annual Review & Planning
meeting’2013
• Strong Community Radio Forum, Increased Inter-network
• Coordination within the donors
• Advocacy, orientation and Mass campaign
• Supply necessary equipment
• Involvement of different bodies such as Academician, Media
personnel, civil society, Local Government Bodies, Beneficiaries of
the Local Areas.
• Station-level Training programs.

12. BNNRC’s Consideration upon Expectations Coming from CRSs:
• Organize review and planning meeting every year.
• Provide more supports on capacity building activities both in technical as well
as programmatic aspects.
• Organize more trainings on hands on at regional level.
• Community Radio must to get a strong coordinating platform.
• Increase and strengthen Public Private Partnership approach
• Arrange more coordination support programs with the fostering organizations
of Community Media.
• It will be better for CRSs if Community Media News Agency (CMNA) will
provide direct audio clips to be broadcasted into the CR News Producers.
• A guideline should be developed to operate CMNA.
• Initiate to exchange expertise support among the CRSs.

13. Community Radio for DevelopmentCommunity Radio for Development
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