RAJSHAHI, Oct 7 Information Minister Abul Kalam has said the present government believes in freedom of the mass media and protecting the rights of the media men.
He stated this while inaugurating the broadcasting program of community radio `Radio Padma' in Rajshahi Medical College auditorium here this evening as the chief guest. Centre for Communication and Development(CCD), Rajshahi, Bangladesh organised the inaugural ceremony in collaboration with Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication(BNNRC) UNESCO-Bangladesh and World Association of Christian Communication(WACC). "We have enacted the Right to Information Act-2009 aimed at ensuring people's access to information," the minister told the audience. He said Radio Padma, the first community radio station among the 14 allocated so far in the country, started its broadcasting in Rajshahi from today. He said the rest 13 stations will go for airing very soon. Azad said that the community radio would play the most vital role in awakening the marginalized people living in the remote areas to ensure their overall empowerment and development. Highlighting the aspects of the mass media, he hoped that the newly launched community radio will play its due role in elevating the livelihood and socio- economic development of the region's people together with imbuing the future generation with spirit of liberation war and patriotism. Besides, he said it will focus on issues of agriculture, gender inequality, education, trade and commerce, disaster, weather, natural calamities, poverty and social problems and contribute a lot to building a disparity-free digital Bangladesh. Mayor of Rajshahi AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, Fazley Hossain Badsha, MP, Prof Zinatun Nessa Talukder, MP, Abdul Wadud Dara, MP, Enamul Haque, MP, Shaheen Monwara Haque, MP, and chairman of BMDA Nurul Islam Thandu also spoke as special guests. Managing committee chairperson of the radio Prof Moshihur Rahman chaired the colorful session. Minister Azad said the radio should have to take the responsibility to complement the government effort to address critical social issues at community level, such as poverty and social exclusion, empowerment of the marginalized and under privileged rural communities, strengthening democratic practices and achieving development goals. "We want to transform Bangladesh into a medium-income nation by 2021 and build a modern knowledge based country free from poverty, corruption and curse of illiteracy," Azad added. He hoped that the radio will supplement the government's endeavors as a whole. In his speech, Mayor Liton said the community raid can play an important role in rural development alongside community empowerment. 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 in 2000 to open-up the Community Radio in Bangladesh to address critical social issues at community level, such as poverty, social exclusion, empowerment of marginalized rural groups and catalyze democratic process in decision making and ongoing development efforts. As a result, Government of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh acknowledged the importance of community radio and announced the Community Radio Installation, Broadcast & Operation Policy. Bangladesh is the 2nd country in South Asia in formulating policy for Community Radio. Subsequently, Bangladesh Government approved 14 initiators for installation, operation and broadcast of community radio stations in different parts of the country. This is the first time in Bangladesh history, when media diversification allowed community people to be involved in community broadcasting. Bazlu ________________________ AHM. Bazlur Rahman-S21BR Chief Executive Officer Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) [NGO in Special Consultative Status with the UN Economic and Social Council] & Head, Community Radio Academy House: 13/1, Road: 2, Shaymoli, Dhaka-1207 Post Box: 5095, Dhaka 1205 Bangladesh Phone: 88-02-9130750, 88-02-9138501 Cell: 01711881647 Fax: 88-02-9138501-105 E-mail: [email protected] www.bnnrc.net Join the Community Radio Forum. For membership details, please go to www.crforum.in
