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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
lang=EN style="COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN"><FONT face=Verdana><FONT
size=2>Baseline Survey on Community Radio<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>in Bangladesh<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN lang=EN
style="FONT-SIZE: 7pt; COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p><FONT
face=Verdana size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face=Verdana
size=2>Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) is advocating
promotion of community radio with the government in relations with other
organizations since its inception. The objective of BNNRC’s Community Radio
intervention is to address critical social issues at community level, such as
poverty and social exclusion, empowerment of marginalized rural groups and
catalyze democratic process in decision making and ongoing development
efforts.</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 7pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p><FONT face=Verdana
size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face=Verdana
size=2>Community Radio is going to play a pivotal role in decision making at
both local and national level in the development process of
<st1:country-region><st1:place>Bangladesh</st1:place></st1:country-region>.
Ministry of Information has adopted <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Community Radio Installation, Broadcasting
and Operation Policy</I> in 2008. Having this unique pro-people policy first
time in Bangladesh and 2nd of its kind in South Asia, Bangladesh has already
been widely appreciated by local, national and international bodies fighting for
right to information of the common masses. .</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 7pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p><FONT face=Verdana
size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN
style="COLOR: black"><FONT face=Verdana><FONT size=2>It is worthy to mention
here that opening the arena of right to information for the rural people of
Bangladesh through establishing community radio stations under a progressive
broadcasting policy, was declared in the Bangladesh Awami League election
manifesto 2008 (<B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Article No.19.1</B>
of<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>the <B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Charter for Change)</I>.</B>
<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 7pt; COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p><FONT
face=Verdana size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN lang=EN
style="COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN"><FONT face=Verdana><FONT
size=2>Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (<SPAN
class=caps>BNNRC</SPAN>) is going to conduct a national baseline survey on
Community Radio in the country. <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This survey is implementing by renound
research farm of the country, <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Bangladesh
Institute of Social Research(BISR)</I>.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN lang=EN
style="FONT-SIZE: 7pt; COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p><FONT
face=Verdana size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN lang=EN
style="COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN"><FONT face=Verdana><FONT size=2>180
applications had been submitted from different organizations for the permission
of establishing community radio stations in their respective areas. Out of
these,116 organizations have been identified<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>for<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>2<SUP>nd</SUP> stage scrutiny i. e.
police verification. The process of police verification is going on.
<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN lang=EN
style="FONT-SIZE: 7pt; COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p><FONT
face=Verdana size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN lang=EN
style="COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN"><FONT face=Verdana><FONT size=2>But,
no survey or study was conducted in Bangladesh to identify the community choice,
needs and demands about the language, contents, broadcasting hour or types of
programs to be broadcasted by the communiti radio stations. In this situation,
the aspirants and initiators of the community radio stations are remain in dark
about these most important issues directly related to community radio operation.
<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN lang=EN
style="FONT-SIZE: 7pt; COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p><FONT
face=Verdana size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN lang=EN
style="COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN"><FONT face=Verdana><FONT
size=2>Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (<SPAN
class=caps>BNNRC</SPAN>) is<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>conducting this survey of the community information needs, preparedness,
acceptance and community choice through representational response,
questionnaire, focus group discussion and interview in ten<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>strategicaly important areas. All six
administrative divisions are included for this survey.
<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN lang=EN
style="FONT-SIZE: 7pt; COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p><FONT
face=Verdana size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN lang=EN
style="COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN"><FONT face=Verdana><FONT
size=2>The<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>draft survey report will
be published and disseminated among the key stakeholders of community radio as
well as print and electronic media through a national seminar in Dhaka by June
2009. The findings of survey and suggestions adopted on them in the seminar will
also be presented in the international conference of <B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">AMARC-Asia Pacific</B> scheduled to be held
in Bangalore, India in October 2009.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN lang=EN
style="FONT-SIZE: 7pt; COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p><FONT
face=Verdana size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face=Verdana><FONT
size=2><SPAN lang=EN style="COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN">This national
baseline survey process has approved by NGO Ahffairs Bureau<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>consultation with Ministry of
Information and </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black"><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>congenial support from Free
Voice.</SPAN><SPAN lang=EN
style="COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Bazlu<BR>_______________________<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)<BR> <BR>House: 13/1, Road:2, Shaymoli,
Dhaka-1207 <BR>Post Box: 5095, Dhaka 1205 Bangladesh<BR> <BR>Phone:
88-02-9130750, 88-02-9138501<BR>01711881647 Fax:
88-02-9138501-105<BR> <BR>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><BR></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>