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<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#0000ff size=6><STRONG>No Objection for
Establishment of 22 Community Radio </STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=6><FONT color=#0000ff><FONT face="Times New Roman">from
Ministry of Home </FONT><FONT face="Times New Roman"> in
Bangladesh</FONT></FONT></FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify">Bangladesh
NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) is promoting the advocacy with
the government in relations to community radio with other organizations since
its emergence. The objective of BNNRC’s Community Radio intervention is to
address crucial social issues at community level, such as poverty and social
exclusion, empower marginalized rural groups and catalyze democratic processes
and ongoing development efforts. </P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><BR>Community Radio is going to
make an important place in development field in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns
= "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
/><st1:country-region><st1:place>Bangladesh</st1:place></st1:country-region>.
Ministry of Information formulated Community Radio Installation, Broadcasting
and Operation Policy 2008. Having prepared a complete pro-people policy for the
first time in
<st1:country-region><st1:place>Bangladesh</st1:place></st1:country-region> and
2nd policy in <st1:place>South Asia</st1:place>, the People’s Republic of
<st1:country-region><st1:place>Bangladesh</st1:place></st1:country-region> has
already been widely appreciated by local, national and international bodies.
</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify">In the
meantime, <st1:place><st1:PlaceName>Community</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceName>Radio</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType>Academy</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> has been established by
Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) with a view to
building up capacity on Community Radio operation of the initiators. Under the
initiatives of the academy training workshops, round table, seminar etc are
being organized incessantly. </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN
style="COLOR: black"><FONT face=Verdana>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 (Ruling Party) 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> <?xml:namespace
prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"
/><o:p></o:p></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=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify">According to
the policy, National Regulatory Committee on Community Radio of
Ministry Information sent 116 Community Radio applications to Home
Ministry on <st1:date Month="7" Day="24" Year="2008">24 July, 2008</st1:date>
for police verification. The Home Ministry informed the Ministry of Information
regarding no objection for establishment of 22 Community Radio Station after the
investigation of DGFI, NSI, and SB 3<SUP>rd</SUP> week of June, 2009.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify">At present,
the reformation of National Regulatory Committee is going on under the Ministry
of Information. After completion of this reformation National Regulatory
Committee will give final approval to open up Community Radio in
<st1:country-region><st1:place>Bangladesh</st1:place></st1:country-region>.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT
size=2></FONT> </P></DIV>
<DIV><BR> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG>Bazlu<BR></STRONG>_______________________<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></DIV></BODY></HTML>