Community radio hard hit

Govt regulations, fund crunch cripple sector

The 16 community radios of the country, which were introduced in 2011 for mass communication, are in dire straits because of acute funds constraint. Also, electricity problems and a dearth of technical experts have affected them badly.  
Despite the provision for the formation of a trustee fund in the community radio policy, the government is yet to settle the issue, sources said.
These 16 community radios are being operated in different regions of the country without any grants from the government, owners of the radio said, adding that under the rules, no one can air any commercial advertisements on their radios at present.
That is why owners of the community radios have demanded that the government should change the rules to allow commercial advertisements so as to generate sources of income for running their radios smoothly.
These radios are currently broadcasting over 110 hours of daily programmes, including weather forecasts, information on agriculture, and entertainment, in coastal and other regions.
Sources said these radios could help generate awareness against child marriage, rape and other criminal activities. Besides, they could help the education and health sectors as well as ensure the country’s sustainable development, the owners said.
The European Union (EU) had recently arranged a seminar on the role of community radio and sustainable development goals, wherein experts presented proposals on various issues that community radios can help create awareness about.
According to their proposals, community radio can help in areas such as poverty alleviation, gender equality, healthy lives, water and sanitation, climate change and the ecosystem.

“The government should help the community radio financially to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals 2030. We want the trustee fund to be implemented,” Tariqul Islam, chief executive officer of Radio Naf, told The Independent.
The government should allow promotional or commercial advertisements to be aired at a minimum percentage by changing the rules for community radio, he added.
“We are ready to help the government generate awareness on various issues. It is necessary to form a strategic plan with the help of development partners. These issues should be incorporated in the policy,” Islam said.
AHM Bazlur Rahman, chief executive officer of Bangladesh NGOs’ Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC), said the biggest challenge so far, however, has been to increase the community’s participation in the radios as well as to ensure the people’s partnership.
The basic principle of community radio is to ensure that members of the community run their own station, broadcast information about their own problems and potential in their own way, and supervise the overall operations of the station, he added.
Information minister Hasanul Huq Inu told The Independent that the government is working on this issue.
“We are reviewing the law to see how the community radios can be made financially stable. We will take a decision after reviewing the rules and laws,” he said in reply to a query.
There is a total of 16 community-based radios—Radio Bikrampur, Radio Padma, Radio Borendro, Radio Naf, Radio Lokbetar, Radio Nalta, Radio Pallikantha, Radio Mukti, Krishi Radio, Radio Mohananda, Radio Sundarban, Radio Jhinuk, Radio Chilmari, Radio Sagor Giri, Radio Meghna and Radio Sagor Deep—in different regions in the country.

 

Community radio hard hit

Govt regulations, fund crunch cripple sector

The 16 community radios of the country, which were introduced in 2011 for mass communication, are in dire straits because of acute funds constraint. Also, electricity problems and a dearth of technical experts have affected them badly. Despite the provision for the formation of a trustee fund in the community radio policy, the government is yet to settle the issue, sources said. These 16 community radios are being operated in different regions of the country without any grants from the government, owners of the radio said, adding that under the rules, no one can air any commercial advertisements on their radios at present. That is why owners of the community radios have demanded that the government should change the rules to allow commercial advertisements so as to generate sources of income for running their radios smoothly. These radios are currently broadcasting over 110 hours of daily programmes, including weather forecasts, information on agriculture, and entertainment, in coastal and other regions. Sources said these radios could help generate awareness against child marriage, rape and other criminal activities. Besides, they could help the education and health sectors as well as ensure the countrys sustainable development, the owners said. The European Union (EU) had recently arranged a seminar on the role of community radio and sustainable development goals, wherein experts presented proposals on various issues that community radios can help create awareness about. According to their proposals, community radio can help in areas such as poverty alleviation, gender equality, healthy lives, water and sanitation, climate change and the ecosystem. The government should help the community radio financially to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals 2030. We want the trustee fund to be implemented, Tariqul Islam, chief executive officer of Radio Naf, told The Independent. The government should allow promotional or commercial advertisements to be aired at a minimum percentage by changing the rules for community radio, he added. We are ready to help the government generate awareness on various issues. It is necessary to form a strategic plan with the help of development partners. These issues should be incorporated in the policy, Islam said. AHM Bazlur Rahman, chief executive officer of Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC), said the biggest challenge so far, however, has been to increase the communitys participation in the radios as well as to ensure the peoples partnership. The basic principle of community radio is to ensure that members of the community run their own station, broadcast information about their own problems and potential in their own way, and supervise the overall operations of the station, he added. Information minister Hasanul Huq Inu told The Independent that the government is working on this issue. We are reviewing the law to see how the community radios can be made financially stable. We will take a decision after reviewing the rules and laws, he said in reply to a query. There is a total of 16 community-based radiosRadio Bikrampur, Radio Padma, Radio Borendro, Radio Naf, Radio Lokbetar, Radio Nalta, Radio Pallikantha, Radio Mukti, Krishi Radio, Radio Mohananda, Radio Sundarban, Radio Jhinuk, Radio Chilmari, Radio Sagor Giri, Radio Meghna and Radio Sagor Deepin different regions in the country.