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<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2><STRONG>Dear Madam/Sir,</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2>Greetings from Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio
and Communication(BNNRC).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 6pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">Community
Radio has a very special place in BNNRC’s intervention. The objective of BNNRC
‘s<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Community Radio intervention is
to address </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">crucial
social issues at community level, such as poverty and social exclusion, empower
marginalized rural groups and<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>catalyze<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>democratic
processes and on going development efforts. You know BNNRC is promoting the
advocacy with the government in relations to community radio with other
organisations since its emergence.</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 6pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">As
a result Ministry of Information of People's Republic of Bangladesh has
been announced the Community Radio Install, Broadcast and Operation 2008 for the
first time in Bangladesh.The Ministry of information has also formulated three
committees i.e National Regulatory Committee, Technical sub committee and
Central Monitoring Committee to look after the smooth operation of community
radio in Bangladesh.</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 6pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">By
the way the technical sub-committee formed in accordance with the community
radio policy 2008, sent a list of 124 Government and non-government
organizations after sorting out of 180 applications to the National Regulatory
Committee headed by Information Secretary. This committee selected 116
organizations eligible for license on Tuesday 15th July, 2008. Notably,
400 organizations drew application forms from the Ministry but only 180
submitted their applications for license. Having insufficient documents, papers
and qualifications for the license, applications of those organizations have
been ineligible of the consideration for license.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 6pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes">BNNRC provided technical assistance to around 200
organisation in the community radio application process through a National Help
Desk on Community Radio in BNNRC Secretariat in Dhaka. Through this experience
we have felt that a pro active institution should be activated to create
nec</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">essary
human resource, research and Development and technical cooperation for Community
Radio in Bangladesh.</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 6pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">In
this backdrops, BNNRC has established Community Radio Academy. The Academy is
going to provide community radio related training, technical assistance and
other support through the year.</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">We
hope community radio to be the alternative and strongly effective mass media for
the rural disadvantage population to express their thinking in their own
voice.</SPAN></P><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><B><FONT
face=Verdana size=1>
<P align=left><FONT size=2>We invite you to join Community Radio initiative in
Bangladesh. </FONT></P>
<P align=left></B></FONT></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">With
best regards,</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 6pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 6pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><STRONG>Bazlu</STRONG></SPAN></P></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2>_______________________<BR>AHM. Bazlur
Rahman-S21BR<BR>Chief Executive Officer<BR>Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and
Communication(BNNRC)<BR>&<BR>Member, Strategy Council<BR>UN-Global Alliance
for ICT and Development (UN GAID)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2>House: 13/1, Road:2, Shaymoli, Dhaka-1207
<BR>Post Box: 5095, Dhaka 1205 Bangladesh</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2>Phone: 88-02-9130750,
88-02-9138501<BR>01711881647 Fax: 88-02-9138501-105</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2>E-mail: <A
href="mailto:ceo@bnnrc.net">ceo@bnnrc.net</A>, <A
href="mailto:bnnrc@bd.drik.net">bnnrc@bd.drik.net</A><BR><A
href="http://www.bnnrc.net">www.bnnrc.net</A></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>