Community Climate Airwaves through Community Radio in Bangladesh

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COMMUNITY CLIMATE AIRWAVES

Eight Community Radio Stations as a knowledge tool in responding to Climate change & disaster risk reduction at coastal areas in Bangladesh reflected in 7th 5 year plan of Government of Bangladesh, UN World Summit on the Information Society Action Plan, UN SDG‘s, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, Bangladesh on the March Towards Prosperity 2018 & Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan.

Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) is in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council, accredited with World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) of the United Nations and UN WSIS prize winner 2016, Champion 2017 and 2019.

BNNRC’s approach to media development is both knowledge-driven and context-sensitive, and it takes into account the challenges and opportunities created by the rapidly changing media environment in Bangladesh including community radio development giving voices for the voiceless. BNNRC is actively

working to improve recognition of the community electronic media sector & its work in and involvement with the communities. BNNRC represents the community electronic media sector to Government, Industry, Regulatory Bodies, Media, Academia and Development Partners from 2000.

The Community Radio stations are an integral part of the disaster risk management and climate change process in coastal areas of Bangladesh. Community Radio stations are the fastest channels for the broadcasting of knowledge and information across the coastal areas.

Community Radio programs are quite supportive to the intervention

Program broadcasting of the community radio stations aims to reduce or avoid the potential losses and damages caused by hazards, or climate change assure prompt and appropriated assistance to communities achieve rapid and effective recovery in line with the Building Back Better.

BNNRC have been engaged in using eight community radio stations of coastal areas of Bangladesh as a knowledge tool, community radio offers benefits in the following ways: Speaking to communities in local languages using terms and phrases that are easily understood; Providing two-way interactive social learning through listeners’ clubs, call-in shows, and other forms of exchange; Enabling the communication and exchange of knowledge between

people who need it, e.g. rural farmers, in a consumable, deployable and non-threatening way; Communicating local knowledge, needs and demands beyond the community to inform policy, research, and other communities; Providing the only media available to communities that have little or no access to other methods of conveying information and knowledge; Now 18 Community Radio stations are broadcasting 160 hours program per day in Bangladesh aiming to ensure empowerment and right to information for the rural community.

Around 1000 youth women & youth are now working with those stations throughout the country as rural

broadcasters. In Bangladesh now community radio is not just about broadcast content; it is mostly about the process of community engagement.

Eight coastal community radio stations are broadcasting altogether 60 hours program per day on information, education, local entertainment and development motivation activities. Around 80 youth women & youth are now working with those stations throughout the coastal areas as coastal community broadcasters.

The quality programs and the contents produced by rural youth and youth women of community

broadcasters have already earned recognition by many institutions at home and abroad. Among others we can mention the UN World Summit on the Information Society (UN WSIS) winner Award 2016, champion awards 2017 & 2019, Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), UNICEF Meena Media & National Population Award etc.

The Community Radios are becoming an active ground for organizing dialogues at rural level. These dialogues are helping the rural mass to find out their own voice and ensure leverage their free opinion in respect of social, economic, political, cultural and environmental issues.

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Community Radio

CASE STUDIES:

Community Radio Meghna Charfession, Bhola Broadcasting for empowering women in the area

Community Radio Meghna is working in Charfession upazila of Bhola district; a largest island in Bangladesh. It is playing significant role for dissemination of early warning messages, local weather messages, coping mechanism to disasters, information recovery and rehabilitation and also information on first aid, evacuation, cyclone shelters and standing orders on disaster after cautionary signal no. 4 and other GoB instructions on emergency basis.

The radio has drawn the attention of the community people. They are now getting the development messages through community radio. The Radio is being run by all youth women.

For more information: https://bnnrc.net/community-radio-meghna-broadcasting-for-empowering-wom en-in-the-area ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................

Community Radio Sagor Dwip Hatiya, Noakhali Voice of the Hatiya Island

Community Radio Sagor Dwip situated in Hatiya upazila under Noakhali district has drawn the attention of local residents through broadcasting news and programs on natural disasters and disaster hazards.

It is playing significant role for dissemination of early warning messages, local weather messages, coping mechanism to disasters, information recovery and rehabilitation and also information on first aid, evacuation, cyclone shelters and standing orders on disaster after cautionary signal no. 4 and other GoB instructions on emergency basis.

For more information: https://bnnrc.net/community-radio-sagordwip-voice-of-the-hatiya-island

Community Radio Sagor Giri Sitakunda, Chattogram Helps to aware people about disaster

The community radio Sagor Giri is situated in Chattogram’s Sitakunda upazila has drawn attention of local residents through broadcasting news and programs on natural disasters and disaster risk reduction and preparedness during the time of disaster including landslide. Radio Sagor Giri aiming to provide rural people with their life and livelihood related information.

It is playing significant role for dissemination of early warning messages, local weather messages, coping mechanism to disasters, information recovery and rehabilitation and also information on first aid, evacuation, cyclone shelters and standing orders on disaster after cautionary signal no. 4 and other GoB instructions on emergency basis.

For more information: https://bnnrc.net/community-radio-sagar-giri-helps-to-aware-people-about-disaster ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................

Community Radio Lokobetar Barguna Sadar Broadcasting for coastal people

Community radio Lokobetar is playing significant role for dissemination of early warning messages, local weather messages, coping mechanism to disasters, information recovery and rehabilitation and also information on first aid, evacuation, cyclone shelters and standing orders on disaster after cautionary signal no. 4 and other GoB instructions on emergency basis.

For more information: https://bnnrc.net/community-radio-lokobetar-broadcasting-for-coastal-people ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................

Community Rural Radio Krishi Amtoli, Barguna Krishi Radio broadcasting for the farmers empowerment

Rural Community Radio Krishi is the only government community radio, which was established by Agricultural Information Service. The programs of the radio are so popular that the listeners have formed many listener groups by their own initiatives.

For more information: https://bnnrc.net/community-rural-radio-krishi-radio-broadcasting-for-the-farm ers-empowerment ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................

Community Radio Sundarban Koyra, Khulna

Broadcasting for conservation of nature and promoting rights of marginalized people

Radio Sundarban is situated at Koyra upazila of Khulna near World’s biggest mangrove forest Sundarban. Radio Sundarban is working to raise awareness among the deprived marginal people for technical education. It is working to uphold the rights of ethnic minority community living in the areas and surroundings of Sundarban through community magazine program and aware policy makers through these programs.

For more information: https://bnnrc.net/community-radio-sundarban-broadcasting-for-conservation-of -nature-and-promoting-rights-of-marginalized-people

Sitakunda Chattogram

Kaligonj Satkhira

Koyra Khulna

Amtoli Barguna

Barguna Sadar

Hatiya Noakhali Charfesssion Bhola

Teknaf Cox’s Bazar

Community Radio Nalta

Kaligonj, Satkhira Broadcasting program with the emphasis on youth development and disaster risk reduction Radio Nalta is playing significant role for dissemination of early warning messages, local weather messages, coping mechanism to disasters, information recovery and rehabilitation and also information on first aid, evacuation, cyclone shelters and standing orders on disaster after cautionary signal no. 4 and other GoB instructions on emergency basis.

Radio Nalta has become a friend to the people of Satkhira’s coastal belt in disaster and distress. The most striking fact is that about 80 thousand fishing labors of the area regularly listen to the radio.

For more information: https://bnnrc.net/community-radio-nalta-broadcasting-program-on-youth-devel opment-and-disaster-risk-reduction ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................

Community Radio Naf Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar Works to aware people about Rohingya Influx

Radio Naf is playing an important role to aware host community about Rohingya issue. People of the country’s southern district Cox’s Bazar’s Teknaf upazila did not have a chance to listen to radio, as even the Bangladesh Betar cannot be heard from this very distant part. However, Community Radio Naf was started journey in lagged behind and natural disaster-prone upazila Teknaf.

For more information: https://bnnrc.net/radio-naf-works-to-aware-people-about-rohingya-influx

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BNNRC, House: 9/4, Road: 02, Shaymoli, Dhaka-1207, Bangladesh. +88 02 9130750 | +88 02 9101479 | +88 02 9138501 | +88 02 9138501, bnnrcbd@gmail.com | ceo@bnnrc.net, www.bnnrc.net This publication has been made possible with support from COAST Trust under the project of Community-led initiatives for climate justice and resilience in the islands and coastal areas of the Bay of Bengal in Bangladesh.