Election of HAP International (Humanitarian Accountability Partnership International) Executive Committee has held following its annual general meeting during 23 and 24th April, 2008 in HAP I secretariat in Geneva .

In this election Mr Rezaul Karim Chowdhury-S21K, BNNRC Vice Chairperson, Execuitve Director COAST Trust and Convenor Equity and Justice Working Gropup(EJWG) has been elected as one of its four executive committee members of HAP International for the next two years period.

HAP-International is an international organization that promote accountability of its member organizations to their benificieries/poor in humanitarian actions. HAP International also provide certification and accredition to its member organizations based on some principles, work plan and its implementation audit.

Several international organizations like Oxfam GB, CARE International, Christian Aid, World Vision International, CAFOD, TearFund, Muslim Aid, Concern Worlwide, MERCY Malaysia are the full members of this organization. From Bangladesh COAST Trust has also got full membership of HAP I very recently. DFID, DANIDA and Swedish SIDA and several others are the associate members of the organization.

COAST Trust and Equity and Justice Working Group, in association with 31 coastal NGOs including Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication(BNNRC)in Bangladesh, organized a seminar “Risk of Climate Change: Loss Compensation” at National Press club .

This seminar is objectively organized to discuss 'climate change risk and loss' in Bangladesh, raise mass awareness on climate change impact and demanding compensate on the eve of UN CoP 13 to be held in Bali from 2-14 December, 2007.

Renowned economist Dr. Quazi Khalikuzzaman, also one of the lead authors of IPCC recent assessment report, country's climate experts, policy makers from the mainstream political parties, civil society groups participated in the seminar and call the global leaders to keep on KYOTO commitment.

The speakers pointed that Bangladesh is no way responsible for global warming but would face severe consequences like permanent inundation of country's 17 percent land area, 50 percent reduction in national agricultural production etc which certainly will slow-down country's economic growth and MDG achievement.

In this perspective, speakers in the seminar demanded compensation of climate change loss of Bangladesh from the countries who largely are responsible for carbon emission and global warming.

In relations to this seminar, COAST and Justice Working Group(EJWG) has developed 6 policy briefs for educating and sensitizing mass people on the climate change impact. Md. Shamsuddoha, Secretary General of Equity & Justice Working Group presented the key note paper and Mr. Rezaul Karim Chowdhury Executive Director, COAST Trust and Convener of Equity & Justice Working Group moderated the seminar.

please follow the media links;

Daily Star
Pressure developed countries to implement Kyoto Protocol
http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=12980

New Age
CLIMATE CHANGE
Bangladesh should ask developed countries to compensate
http://www.newagebd.com/2007/nov/25/met.html#2

Financial Express
1.8m tonnes of crops lost to natural disasters this yr
http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/search_index.php?page=detail_news&news_id=18290

News Today
Climate change may reduce agri production by 50 pc
http://www.newstoday-bd.com/frontpage.asp?newsdate=#9340

New Nation
Govt urged to prop up for coming disasters
http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2007/11/25/news0996.htm

In relation we have released six briefing papers with data on grass root impacts, you will find and down load those from our website links as follows;

Factors of Climate Change: Global Warming is the Major Ground
http://www.equitybd.org/newsletter/issue/02/1.pdf

Sea Level Rise and Environmental Refugee in Bangladesh
http://www.equitybd.org/newsletter/issue/02/6.pdf

Measures to Combat Climate Change: the Koyoto Protocol
http://www.equitybd.org/newsletter/issue/02/2.pdf

Climate Change and River Erosion in Bangladesh
http://www.equitybd.org/newsletter/issue/02/5.pdf

Salinity Threatens the World Heritage: The Sundarban of Bangladesh
http://www.equitybd.org/newsletter/issue/02/4.pdf

Increasing Salinity Threatens Productivity of Bangladesh
http://www.equitybd.org/newsletter/issue/02/3.pdf

For more other information on us and our campaign you can visit www.equitybd.org or wwww.coastbd.org

The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands organized a workshop on a specially prepared QUICK SCAN of political economy issues that underpin the governance context in Bangladesh on November 12, 2007 at the Radius Center, Gulshan, Dhaka.

AHM Bazlur Rahman-S21BR, Chief Executive Officer of Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) - a partner organization of Cordaid has participated in the workshop.

The Embassy prepared a “quick scan” of political economy issues that underpin the governance context in Bangladesh. The objective of the workshop was to develop more realistic and effective governance and anti-corruption strategies of the Power and Change Analysis with the help of the workshop outputs.

The Embassy expected that the Power and Change Analysis will be helpful for the participants to identify the key strategic barriers to state effectiveness and accountability in the country,to propose possible windows of opportunities available to the Netherlands Government to support governance in Bangladesh and to assess the implications of the Power and Change Analysis (PAC) for external support and specifically for governance and anti-corruption interventions (e.g. looking at approached and time frames, missed opportunities, political and bureaucratic pressures on donors, changes in aid modalities, donor procedures}.

The workshop facilitated by Mr. Robert N. LeBlanc, consultant of ECORYS and Ms. Ferdous Jahan, Professor of Dhaka University.

The Ministry of Information organized a high level meeting on open up the Community Radio in Bangladesh as pilot basis at conference room of Ministry of Information of Bangladesh Secretariat on October 29, 2007.

Didarul Anwar, Secretary of the Ministry of Information presided over the meeting while Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury, Chairman, BRAC.Net and former Secretary, Additional Secretary, Principal Information Officer (PIO) Joint Secretary and Deputy Secretary (Broadcasting) of Ministry of Information attended the meeting among others.

An elaborate review was held on the Concept Paper, Draft Policy and Application form of Community Radio, presented by Mahabubul Alam, Director General of Bangladesh Betar (RADIO) on behalf of the Community Radio Related Ministrial Committee, Ministry of Information in the meeting and it was decided to send Concept Paper, Draft Policy and Application of Community Radio to the other concerned Ministries and concerned Commission for their comments.

These are Ministry of Home, Ministry of Local Government, Rural development and Cooperatives (LGRD), Ministry of Science and ICT, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs and Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC). It was also decided that the Ministry of Information will arrange an inter-ministerial meeting after receiving comments from them within 15-30 days.

On behalf of the advocacy group and member of the Community Radio Related Ministrial Committee, Ministry of Information Kamrul Hasan Manju, Executive Director of MMC and AHM Bazlur Rahman-S21BR, Chief Executive Officer of Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication attended the meeting.

Bangladesh: Observation of World Rural Women Day (WRWD)2007, We demand Right based food security, Not Import & Market Dependencies !

A four-member delegation from Teaching Quality Improvement in Secondary Education Project (TQI) under the Ministry of Education funded by Asian Development Bank and CIDA has visited Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) office on October 23, 2007.

The team was comprised by Ms. Patricia McWilliams, Education Advisor, Ms. Selina Akhter, Education Advisor, Mr. Niels Bentsen, Equitable Access Advisor and Mr. Zaki Imam, Assistant Director of TQI-SEP.

BNNRC Secretariat member welcomed the participants in the office.The Teaching Quality Improvement in Secondary Education Project (TQI-SEP) has been designed to improve the quality of learning through better teaching at the secondary school level at rural areas.

The Chief Executive Officer of BNNRC briefed the team about BNNRC and its activities through a multi-media presentation and discussed elaborately on ICT for Development, Right to Information (RTI) and Community Broadcasting like Community Radio.

The team mainly discussed a number of areas including policy and regulatory frameworks, Bangladesh experiences in e-learning, M-learning and life long education through ICT.

To ensure the quality training programs, Information and Communication Technologies will be used and the team expressed their hope to use the expertise of BNNRC and resource centers as well as Rural Knowledge Centres (RKC) in future.

We have taken the initiative to observe the Rural Women’s Day on October 15, 2007 through World Rural Women’s Day celebrating National Committee of Bangladesh like previous years. The local organizations always play an important role in observing the day.

2007 is a significant year. Because, we are evaluating mid term our achievements of 12 years of Beijing Women’s Conference and United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals in Bangladesh also.

We observed the rural women’s day last year. It was observed through arranging conferences and other programs in every district of Bangladesh. The importance of the day got publicity at local and national level media.

The 9th Parliamentary election is going to be held in the last leg of the next year. The politicians are used to give promises and used to forget after receiving power. This is an opportunity to ensure their accountability regarding the implementation of their promises.

Onbehalf of
World Rural Women’s Day celebrating National Committee of Bangladesh
AHM Bazlur Rahman-S21BR

Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) along with other like-minded organizations has been conducting advocacy with the Government for Community Radio in Bangladesh since its inception. As a consequence, the Ministry of Information of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh recently formulated Community Radio Installation, Broadcasting and Operation Policy 2008.

Just after the announcement of the policy, BNNRC immediately opened a national help desk in its secretariat and provided all out information and technical support to the community radio initiators. From the community radio related experience, BNNRC feels deep urge that there should be an all out national initiative to train up human resource for the smooth operation of the community radio stations.

With this view, BNNRC has set up a Community Radio Academy. From this academy training courses, technical support and research and development support will be given to the community radio stakeholders round the year.

In this backdrop, BNNRC is going to arrange a daylong training workshop on “Community Radio: How to Get Started and Keep Going” to be held at Auditorium, IDB Bhaban (4th Floor), E/8-A. Begum Rokeya Sharani, Sher-E-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka – 1207 from 10.00 am to 05.00 pm on Wednesday, 27 August 2008.

The key aspects of the training workshop are;

a)Role of community radio in developing life and livelihood of the rural communities and Community Radio Installation, Broadcast and Operation Policy – 2008
b)Concept of technical operation of Community Radio
c)Strategy of sustainable work-plan for sustainable operation of community radio

The concerned participants from the primarily selected 116 Community Radio initiators will be given preference for attending in this training workshop.

The interested community radio initiators are requested to fill in the prescribed form available in the website (www.bnnrc.net) and send it to BNNRC by 25 August 2008.

Please download the registration form for Community Radio workshop: Registration Form (pdf), Registration Form(Doc)

Dhaka 10th October 2007.
Today women activists from 64 districts gathered in a Conference Room of National Press Club in Dhaka with the invitation of National Committee on Observation of Bangladesh World Rural Women’s Day celebrating National Committee, Bangladesh (BWRWDCNC), the meeting was chaired by Swapan Guha of RUPANTOR. Representative from different districts on observation of the day gave speech and elaborated their different program during the week;

the programs are seed fair, rally, popular cultural program,press conference, prizes to rural women for seed preservation and seminar. Five briefing papers and one leaflet will be supplied from the national committee.

In national level there will be a national seminar on food sovereignty in the morning of 25th October and in afternoon there will be a popular cultural festival with seed fair in national martyr monument at Dhaka University campus.

The meeting decided to press the demand of employment guarantee scheme with the provision of 50% a must for rural women, revival of BADC for promotion of local seeds, inclusion of community and farmers right in draft bio diversity protection act and inclusion of individual food rights in the constitution. The observation committee is being backed by Equity and Justice working Group(EJWG).

Note that, this is the 12 year of observation of WRWD by this committee in countrywide.

Dhaka, 06 October 2007. Equity and Justice Working Group –EJWG, has organized roundtable discussion on ‘Accountability of ODA Use and Indebted Bangladesh’ at the CIRDAP Auditorium, Dhaka, basically to initiate a policy discourse for demanding the debt cancellation of Bangladesh. In each year Bangladesh pays US 715 dollars to its foreign creditors as debt service, which is more than the country’s annual health budget. During 1980s an individual owed around Tk 4000, now it has been increased to Tk. 10,500. Alternatively annual ODA is decreasing gradually. The speakers says the loan conditionalities of the IFIs is limiting state investment in the public service sector like education, health, communication etc which is leaving poor out of these services and increasing social and economical inequalities. In these circumstances, Bangladesh would not be able to achieve MDGs Goal; the speakers at the seminar express their worries. Bangladesh needs US 7.5 billion dollars a year to finance the implementation of MDGs but the amount of ODA is 1.4 billion dollar a year, which is a huge shortfall of the requirement. Therefore, Bangladesh requires exclusively grant based finance and 100% debt cancellation.

Mr. Mahmudur Rahman Manna, Organizing Secretary of Bangladesh Awami League, Ex Parliamentarian Maj. Gen (Rtd) Mahbubur Rahman and Tasnim Rana of BNP, Jatiya Party policy maker and ex-parliamentarian GM Quader, Worker’s Party leader Rashed Khan Menon were present in the seminar among others.

Mr. Rezaul Karim Chowdhury and Md Shamsuddoha respectively Convener and General Secretary of EJWG presented the keynote paper in the Seminar and Mr Rafiqul Islam Khokon and AHM Bazlur Rahman respectively from RUPANTAR and Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication(BNNRC)moderated the seminar.

A consultation meeting on policy framework on e-governance was held in meeting room of e-Governance cell, Chief Adviser’s Office on 25 September, 2007. The consultation meeting was mainly organized to analyze the present status of laws, policies and regulation regarding ICT growth of Bangladesh and identifying the backlogs to implement different laws and policies which are already enacted. Among others Mr Reza Salim, Project Director, Amader Gram, Dr. Ananya Raihan, ED, D.Net, AHM. Bazlur Rahman, Chief Executive Officer, BNNRC, Anir Chowdhury, Policy Adviser, A2I Programme and Mr Fokruzzaman participated in the meeting. Participants gave their important opinion and feedback on different policies. PIS of A2I Programme Munir Hasan conducted the consultation meeting.

The consultation mainly emphasizes on Information and communication technology Policy (ICT), Telecommunication Policy, Proposed Broadband Policy, Proposed Broadcasting Policy, Wireless Act etc. Participants suggested incorporating WSIS plan of action and ITU plan to review different policies for fostering e-governance in Bangladesh. They also agreed upon to formulate and represent the policies in very simplest way. It is observed that the policies are not following a common theme for its structure or there are no monitoring groups to update the policies. They also suggested with new scenario and emerging technology some of actions are needed to foster the environment favorable for e-governance.

Free flow of information can be a strong weapon in curbing corruption, Anti-Corruption Commission Chairman Lt Gen (retd) Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury said yesterday and hoped that the government would take measures to etablish the right to information.

He, however, said that only the right to information could not check corruption in a society where the "root of corruption has reached the deepest level."

The ACC chairman was addressing a roundtable titled 'Good Governance and Right to Information' as chief guest at the LGED auditorium in the city. Former adviser to the caretaker government Advocate Sultana Kamal was the special guest at the function.

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), Ain O Shalish Kendra, Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication(BNNRC), D-Net, MMC and Manusher Jonno Foundation jointly organised the discussion marking the 'International Right to Know Day'.

Hasan Mashhud expressed the hope that the government would take necessary measures to establish the people's right to information. "The people expect that they will have this right soon," he said.

About the much-talked issue of disclosing the defence budget, he said, "Nothing big will be found if it is made public. Around 90 percent of the budget are allocated for salary purpose… but I personally believe any budget should be made public."

Sultana Kamal said information is also a responsibility. "We can't expect responsibility from an uninformed society…good governance, responsibility and accountability won't be there unless there is free flow of information," she said.

It's the government's responsibility to disclose the resources of the country and how these are being spent, the former adviser said, adding that the government is bound to publish the information.

Associate professor of Dhaka University Robayet Ferdous presented a keynote paper titled 'Role of right to information in ensuring good governance: Challenge and opportunities'.

TIB Trustee Board Chairman Prof Muzaffer Ahmad presided over the function moderated by TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman.

Speakers at the roundtable said the existing Official Secrets Acts and rules should be updated and misuse of these should be prevented.

They also observed that free flow of information should be ensured and people would have to come out from the culture of privacy and involve themselves in a large number in the movement for the right to information.

Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, editor of The Bangladesh Observer, Prof Asif Nazrul and Dr Golam Rahman of Dhaka University, Governance coordinator of Manusher Jonno Foundation Sanjida Sobhan and Executive Director of DemocracyWatch Taleya Rahman also spoke.

Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) and with other Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) has been continuing advocacy with the Government for a long time to open up the Community Radio in Bangladesh.

Community Radio movement in Bangladesh is a very promising yet critical stage. Different NGOs civil society groups, journalists, intellectuals and other concerned entities of this country are putting continuous and ardent effort in order to come up with a Community Radio friendly regulatory environment through appropriate government regulations.

Just last year, a National Consultation on Community Radio was jointly organized by MMC, BNNRC, FOCUS, YPSA and VOICE and supported by UNESCO, UNICEF and UNDP- Bangladesh with the goal of identifying course of action on how to proceed for introducing Community Radio in Bangladesh. At the end of that consultation, the participants agreed to put more focused effort on Community Radio piloting and the enactment of the draft Broadcasting Act 2003.

But till now, no pilot project has been commenced in Bangladesh as far as the case of true participatory based Community Radio service is concerned. The member organizations of advocacy group already have the human resources, contents and organizational motivation needed to initiate, manage and sustain any pilot Community Radio project.

Advocacy group is to initiate any Community Radio project addressing the issues related with fulfilling Millennium Development Goals (MDG), World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Action Plan, PRSP and knowledge based Society.

Recently, Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) has taken a strategic campaign program where the Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed, Hon'ble Chief Adviser of the Non-Party Care Taker Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, Barrister Mainul Hosein, Adviser of the Ministry of Information and the Mr. Didarul Anower, Secretary of the Ministry of Information were included.

Under the campaign program, an appeal was made to allow the draft broadcasting policy, side by side the Govt. was requested to give permission for launching some community radio as pilot basis. On the basis of the findings of the pilot project, Govt. can allow the full pledged community radio in the country for long term.

As a result of the strategic campaign, for the first time, a high level meeting was organized by the Ministry of Information regarding community radio. The meeting was held at the conference room of the ministry at 11 a.m. on July 23, 2007.

Mr. Didarul Anowar, Secretary of the Ministry of Information presided over the meeting. Among others 15 high officials of the ministry including the Director General of Bangladesh Betar (Radio Bangladesh), Principal Information Officer (PIO) and Joint Secretary of Ministry of Information attended the high level meeting.

On behalf of advocacy group Mr. Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury, Chairman of BRACNet and former secretary Government of Bangladesh, Mr. Kamrul Hasan Monju, Executive Director of Mass line Media Center (MMC) and Mr. AHM Bazlur Rahman-S21BR, Chief Executive Officer of BNNRC participated the meeting.

In his welcoming speech the Secretary of Ministry of Information emphasized on to find out the ways to launch community radio as pilot basis. Mr. Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury highlighted the importance of Community Radio in brief. Mr. Kamrul Hasan Monju and Mr. AHM Bazlur Rahman-S21BR briefed the meeting on community radio, its program, management, monitoring, community content and licensing system.

After an elaborate discussion, a high level committee was formed and the Director General of Bangladesh Betar (Bangladesh Radio) was nominated as the Convener. The committee will submit a concept note, guideline and a regulatory frame (draft) of Community Radio to the Secretary of the Ministry of Information within a month.

Mr. Paul Scott, Editor and Ms. Catherine Chapman, ELT Writer of BBC Learning English project of BBC World Service visited Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) on July 21, 2007.

Mr. AHM Bazlur Rahman, Chief Executive Officer of BNNRC welcomed them at BNNRC office and briefed them about BNNRC and its activities through a multimedia presentation.

At present BBC World Service is implementing a project on BBC Learning English at the rural areas of Bangladesh. The representatives wanted to know how the Rural Knowledge Centers (RKC) can help rural people in learning English.

BNNRC also shared about its future plan of starting language center at RKCs. The Chief Executive Officer informed the visitors that RKCs can play a vital role regarding spreading English language at the rural areas of Bangladesh for bridging the English language divide.

Among others, Mr. Kamaruzzaman, Program Coordinator of BNNRC attended the meting.

Speakers at a discussion yesterday 15th July, 2007 underscored the need for ensuring commoners' access to information technology and proper dissemination of global knowledge among the people to ensure their development.

They were speaking at the inaugural session of Global Knowledge Partnership South Asia Meeting: Consolidating the Partnership Towards Global Knowledge 3 jointly organised by D.Net, Bangladesh NGO's Network for Radio and Communications (BNNRC) and Sri Lankan organisation Sarvodaya Fusion at the city's Brac Inn.

Speaking as the chief guest, Vice Chancellor of Brac University Prof Jamilur Reza Chowdhury stressed disseminating knowledge in languages that people understand.

"Few people in South Asia have access to printed materials and there lies the necessity for some intermediary that would translate those to them," he said, adding "cellphone technology has made significant progress in this context".

Ms.Justine Chew, Virtual Presence Coordinator and Team Leader, Communication and Marketing unit of Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP) secretariat visited Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC)office on 17 July, 2007.

Ms. Justine is now in Bangladesh to attend GKP South Asia Regional Meeting on Consolidating the partnership towards GK3 was held from 15-16 July, 2007 in Dhaka.

Mr. AHM Bazlur Rahman, Chief Executive Officer of BNNRC welcomed
Ms. Chew at BNNRC secretariat. He briefed her about overall BNNRC’s activities through a multi-media presentation. Mr. Rahman also shared future plan of BNNRC with her.

Mr. Aojoy, Director Operation of D.Net and Mr. Kamaruzzaman, Program Coordinator of BNNRC was present during discussion.

Dr.Rohit Kumar Nepali,Executive Director of South Asia Partnership SAP)-International visited Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) on July 14, 2007. He was accompanied by Ms. Deepti Khakurel, Assistant Program Officer of SAP International and Ms. Shikha Shrestha, Program Coordinator of Bellanet.

Mr. AHM Bazlur Rahman, Chief Executive Officer of BNNRC welcomed the team at BNNRC office. Mr. Rahman briefed the team about BNNRC and its activities through a multimedia presentation.

The Nepali team wanted to know about Rural Knowledge Centers (RKC) and their role to community, sustainability of the RKCs, future plan of BNNRC regarding community radio etc. The team expressed their satisfaction over BNNRC’s activities.

Among others Ms. Shamima Akhter, Executive Director of Advanced for Social Welfare Organization (ASWO) and Ms. Nasreen Ara Begum, Coordinator, Policy Research and Advocacy, BNNRC were presented.

Ms. Christine A. Prince, Senior Program Officer of IREX has visited Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) on June 18, 2007.

She was accompanied by Mr. Jamil Ahmed, Coordinator, Civil Society Outreach, Mission Management Office, CARE-Bangladesh.

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for Development a source book for the Member of Parliament and Policy Makers on Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

The book considers the variety of needs of the members of Parliament and Policy Makers situated in different geo-political and socio-economic conditions. To strengthen socio-economic development ICT’s role as a powerful tool has been explored in this book.

The usefulness of overall knowledge on ICT for Parliamentarian realized by Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC). In this connection, BNNRC submitted a proposal to UNDP-Bangladesh to translate the source book, jointly published by UNDP/APDIP and the Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP). UNDP Bangladesh gave the responsibility of translation and reprint in Bangla to Bangladesh Institute of Parliament Studies under Strengthening Parliamentary Democracy project implemented by United Nations Office for the Project Services (UNOPS).

The book, “Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for Development” is a source book for Member of Parliament and Policy Makers on Information and Communication Technology (ICT)” contains a total of 10 chapters. These are: Introduction (Basic knowledge on ICT, Objectives of the book, Definition of ICT, importance, digital divide, MDGs); Concept and definition of E-primer related to Information, Socio-Economics and Politics; ICT4D where ICT’s role in national policy to achieve MDGs with some case study of different countries; Strategically ICT structure for development; the role of the Member of Parliament; Government as the perfect user; Open Standard and Open Source; The role of Stakeholder and concerned persons and organizations; ICT4D organizations and ICT4D Charter, Declaration and policies were attached.

We hope this book will be able to provide an overall knowledge on ICT to the Member of Parliament. BNNRC’s expectation will be fulfilled when the MPs and Policy Makers will be benefited from this book.

Dr. Harsha Liyanage, GKP Regional Coordinator of GKP South Asia visited Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) secretariat on May 3, 2007.

The purpose of his visit was to know about the overall activities of BNNRC as a member of GKP especially regarding GK3.

Mr. AHM Bazlur Rahman, the Chief Executive Officer, BNNRC uphold the activities of the organization through a multimedia presentation.

In the meeting, among others Mr. Kamaruzzaman, Program Coordinator, Ms. Nasreen Ara Begum, Coordinator, Policy Research & Advocacy and Mr. Borhan Uddin Coordinator, Finance & Administration were presented.

Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) has translated the book in Bengali “Voices of Change: Strategic Radio Support for Achieving the Millennium Development Goals” published by Information and Communication for Development (ICD) of Department for International Development (DFID). We acknowledge the congenial support from DFID Bangladesh.

The objective of translation the book is to help target audiences to know more on the prospect of the use of Radio as a tool of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to achieve the goals of Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP). So, NGOs/Community Based Organizations (CBOs) can prepare future project proposals by accommodating the use of Radio to reach mass people including rural and disadvantage people. Moreover this publication will help academicians, researchers, government officials, media activities, policy makers including Parliamentarians to understand the role of radio for the advancement of Bangladesh in various development sectors.

The book provides the scope of radio’s involvement in underpinning sustainable livelihoods, realizing rights, human development and the broader goals and targets of the United Nations Millennium Declaration.

It clearly highlights the relevance of radio in poor communities, its broad applicability to a range of sectoral activities such as health, rights, education, livelihoods etc. It also identifies the need to deepen the capacity of radio broadcasters at all levels to conduct effective monitoring and evaluation, so as to begin the process of developing a rigorous information and communication for development evidence base, which highlights radio’s and other communications mediums strategic contribution to the realization of the Millennium Development Goals.

It is accepted that the knowledge/information divide is the result rather than the cause of poverty and that efforts to bridge it must be embedded within effective strategies that address the causes of poverty. This book details how Radio as on the component of ICTs are being used today, challenges and opportunities presented by radio and it’s potentiality to bridge knowledge divide. It also challenges DFID and other donors to increase support to the radio sector.

The translated book is now in our hand. Besides, it will be available at our website soon. www.bnnrc.net. If anybody likes to get the hard copy of the book, please do not feel any hesitation to contact us through pra@bnnrc.net

Chief Executive Officer of Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) met with Mr. Zia Manzur of Intel EM Ltd, Bangladesh
Posted by: bnnrc on 02/19/2007 04:39 AM (Read: )
AHM Bazlur Rahman, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) met with Mr. Zia Manzur, Sales Manager- Bangladesh of Intel EM Ltd on February 19, 2007.

There were two issue discussed in the meeting.
Mr. Zia Manzur was informed the overall activities of BNNRC, especially focused on ICT for Development (ICT4D) of BNNRC.

2nd Strategic Council Meeting of United Nations- Global Alliance for ICT for development (UN-GAID) is going to be held on 27-28 February 2007 Santa Clara, California of USA. The meeting hosted by Intel EM Ltd HQ.
AHM Bazlur Rahman, CEO of BNNRC to participate this meeting as a member of Strategic Council of UN GAID.

AHM Bazlur Rahman briefed to Mr. Zia Manzur about the goal and objectives of the meeting. He also presented a set of documents regarding 2nd GAID meeting to him.
The meeting was held in very congenial environment.

Workshop on “Enhancing the Livelihood of the Rural Poor: The Role of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) held

A workshop on “Enhancing the Livelihood of the Rural Poor: The Role of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) by Unnayan Onneshan was held on February 15, 2007 at BRAC INN, Dhaka.

Participants from different organizations who are working on ICT attended in the workshop. Mr. Paul Matthews, ODI, UK presented a paper on Key issues of ICT and Livelihood: Global Perspective and another paper was presented by M Iqbal Ahmed and Erin C. Lentz, Unnayan Onneshan, Bangladesh on “Enhancing the livelihood of the Rural Poor: The Role of Information and Communication Technologies: Bangladesh”.

Kamaruzzaman, Program Coordinator and Nasreen Ara Begum, Coordinator, Policy Research and Advocacy represented BNNRC in the workshop.

AHM Bazlur Rahman, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) met with Mr. Md. Alimushan, Director General of NGO Affairs Bureau (NGO-AB) on February 15, 2007.

There were three issue discussed in the meeting.
Mr. Alimushan was informed the overall activities of BNNRC, especially focused on ICT for Development (ICT4D) of BNNRC.

2nd Strategic Council Meeting of United Nations- Global Alliance for ICT for development (UN-GAID) is going to be held on 27-28 February 2007 Santa Clara, California of USA. AHM Bazlur Rahman, CEO of BNNRC to participate this meeting as a member of Strategic Council of UN GAID.

AHM Bazlur Rahman briefed the Director General about the goal and objectives of the meeting. He also presented a set of documents regarding 2nd GAID meeting to him.

NGO Affairs Bureau has already approved the foreign travel for participation the 2nd Strategic Council Meeting of United Nations- Global Alliance for ICT for development (UN-GAID)

The Rural Knowledge Centre (RKC) of Young People in Social Action (YPSA) will be established at Aleakdia of Sitakunda Upazilla of Chittagong district in the next month. DG was invited as the Chief Guest in the inaugural ceremony. He accepted the invitation. The meeting was held in very congenial environment.

UNICEF Official visits BNNRC

Mr. Mads Sorensen, Assistant Program Officer, Empowerment of Adolescents, Child Protection Section of UNICEF has visited Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio & Communication (BNNRC) on January 21, 2007. Mr. AHM Bazlur Rahman, the Chief Executive Officer of BNNRC welcomed him at the BNNRC office.

Mr. Sorensen and Mr. Rahman made individual briefing on their respective project activities. At present, BRAC and Centre for Mass Education and Science (CMES) run programmes for adolescents funded by UNICEF.

The objective of Mr. Sorensen’s visit to BNNRC was to know the possibility to replicate the community radio concept in their program.

Mr. AHM Bazlur Rahman informed him that due to not having permission of open-up the community radio by the government, Young People in Social Action (YPSA), a networking member of Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication(BNNRC) is narrowcasting program on radio and television through cable in a community of Sitakund Upazila (Chittagong) supported by UNESCO under IPDC program. .

Mr. Mads showed interest to cable casting RADIO/TV and wanted to know the process to incorporate in their convergence areas.

Mr. Rahman assured him to provide all sorts of supports as Mr. Sorensen needs to replicate the cable casting for empowering of Adolescents under Child protection section of UNICEF.

By-Ms. Nasreen Ara Begum

Bangladesh Telecentre Network (BTN) has been launched on January 13, 2007. For floating this network a consultation meeting titled ‘Towards Mission- 2011: Building Telecentre Family in Bangladesh’ was held at BRAC Centre INN, Dhaka. The primary agenda of BTN is to launch Mission 2011 under which telecentres will be set up all across Bangladesh by the 40th anniversary Bangladesh’s independence so that every villager can have access to livelihood services through ICTs.

The meeting was presided over by Abdul-Muyeed Chowdhury, the former advisor of Caretaker Government and Chairman of bracnet.net.
Participants & Guests of the consultation meeting
Total 20 organizations, which include research institutions, NGOs, private sector enterprises, development partners participated in the meeting to form the network. Current practitioners presented their telecentre models and shared ideas about the roadmap to achieve Mission 2011. Bangladesh telecentre Network will be an open platform of partner organizations.

A steering group was formed with chairpersonship of Abdul-Muyeed Chowdhury. A six member steering group was set up from the partner organizations like Mr. Reza Salim, Amader Gram, AHM Bazlur Rahman-S21, Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication, Mr. Arifur Rahman, Young Power in Social Action(YPSA), Mr. TIM Nurul Kabir, Digital Knowledge Foundation, Dr. Ananya Raihan, D.Net with secretariat at D.Net (Development Research Network).

Prof. Jamilur Reza Chowdhury has agreed to be the chair of the advisory board of the network. Eminent citizens will be soon invited to be the members of Advisory Board. A patron group will be formed soon also.

Nine task forces will be formed soon for implementing important activities towards achieving Mission 2011 targets. The taskforces which have been identified through consultation are:
• Electricity and Alternative Power
• Connectivity
• Content and Service Packages
• Capacity Building
• Innovative Solutions
• Technical Support
• Reference Desk
• Resource Mobilization
• Policy
The steering group will meet soon for setting up the secretariat and initiate identified activities with participation of all network partners. It is to be mentioned that the idea of Mission 2011 was floated by Dr. Ananya Raihan of D.Net during the International workshop titled “Building Telecentre family in Bangladesh: A Workshop for Social Entrepreneurs and Practitioners.”, held in Rangpur in August 2006.

The initial list of institutions under various clusters, who have become the network partners, is:

Practitioners
• Amader Gram Project
• Bangladesh NGO Network for Radio Communications (BNNRC)
• BRACNET.NET
• Dhaka Ahsania Mission
• Digital Equity Network (DEN)
• Digital Knowledge Foundation (DKF)
• D.Net (Development Research Network)
• Grameen Communications
• Grameen Phone
• Learn Foundation
• Practical Action
• Proshika
• SDF
• SEBA
• Young Power in Social Action (YPSA)

Private and Business Sector [To be added more]
• Grameen Bank
• BRACNET.NET
• Grameen Phone
• Grameen Shakti

NGOs [To be added more]: BRAC ,Governments and Semi-Government Agencies :To be added ,Academia / Research [To be added more] Research Initiative, Bangladesh. International Development Partners and UN Bodies [To be added more] UNDP
Multi-donor Facilitating Institutions: KATALYST, Manusher Jonno Foundation, SEDF, International Network/ Institutions [To be added more]: Telecentre.org, Policy Think Tank : To be added soon , Media :To be added soon

The launching event of Mission-2011 will take place in March, 2007. Before that a series of consultation meetings will take place with all stakeholders in divisional headquarters.

BNNRC Representatives Meets with BTRC Regarding Amateur Radio Examination

A two-member representatives from Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) met Muhammad Omar Farook, Chairman, Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) on January 9 at BTRC Office at Gulshan, Dhaka.

In the beginning of the meeting, the representatives expressed their heartiest thanks to BTRC for formulating and approving the National Frequency Allocation Plan for the first time in Bangladesh through an extensive consultation. Also provisions and conditions of
Amateur Radio License have been finalized by BTRC under this National Frequency Allocation Plan(NFAP).

BNNRC thanked everybody of BTRC to formulate the plan through the extensive consultation and also to involve BNNRC into this process.

The representatives also requested the Chairman, BTRC to arrange a Amateur Radio Operation examination in the guideline of the policy as soon as possible. It is mentionable that, after 2004, no Amateur Radio Operation examination was held on this regard.

Besides, the team requested BTRC to update the call sign of 76 Amateur Radio holder as General Class License according to new policy who passed successfully in the Amateur Radio Operation examination. In 2004 BRTC arranged the examination.

The meeting was held in very congenial environment. The Chairman assured the BTRC will arrange the examination as soon as possible and to consider other things very seriously and promptly.

During the meeting, Mr. A M M. Reza-E- Rabbi, Vice Chairman of BTRC and Rezaul Kader, Director, system and services department of BTRC were presented.

Mr. AHM Bazlur Rahman-S21BR, Chief Executive Officer and Mr. Kamruzzaman, Program Coordinator, represented the meeting on behalf the Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication.

By: Ms. Nasreen Ara Begum

A two-member representative of Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) met with Mr. Mohammad Badrul Alam, In-Country Manager of Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development (AYAD) at his office on January 15, 2007.

At first BNNRC representatives briefed Mr. Alam about the on-going activities of the network. Also they expected cooperation from AYAD to strengthen BNNRC activities.

In-Country Manager of AYAD showed his keen interest about the programs of BNNRC. He also assured to provide assistance to strengthen the activities of BNNRC and try to send volunteers under its program.

Mr. AHM Bazlur Rahman, the Chief Executive Officer and Mr. Kamaruzzaman, Program Coordinator represented the meeting.

by: Nasreen Ara Begum

Recently United Nations has founded Global Alliance for ICT and Development (GAID) to taking effective measure for development of ICT and its appropriate implementation in mankind. Shortly its called GAID. The administration of GAID consists in two levels. Lower level has Administrative Council and at higher level there is Strategy Council. The total number of member in Strategy Council is 60. Among them 30 are government bodies, rest of 30 has 10 for private sector, civil society and UN and international bodies each.

Chief Executive Officer of Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication(BNNRC) Mr. AHM. Bazlur Rahman has selected as a member of Strategic Council in the quota for civil society. This is a huge achievement for Bangladesh in the field of ICTfor development. Beside Bangladesh, Japan is another selected member of GAID Strategic Council from Asia region.

The other Council members from civil society are Kamel Ayadi, President, World Federation of Engineering Associations, Tunisia; Rodrigo Baggio, Executive Director, Committee for Democracy in Information Technology, Brazil; Peter Bruck, President, World Summit Award, Austria; Astrid Dufborg, Executive Director, Global E-schools and Communities Initiative (GeSCI); Hiroshi Kawamura, Daisy Consortium, Japan; Janet Langmore, President, Digital Opportunity Trust, Canada; Tracey Naughton, Chair, WSIS Civil Society Media Caucus; Lynn St. Amour, President/CEO, Internet Society; and Lynn M. Wanyeki, Executive Director, African Women's Development and Communications Network (FEMNET), Kenya.

It is mentionable that earlier Mr. AHM. Bazlur Rahman has been contributed as the founder member of Bangladesh Working Group for World Summit on the Information Society(WSIS) headed by Bangladesh Government, which organized by United Nations 2003 and 2005. He is one of the pioneers in the field of development communication and ICT for development.. He has been working to establish information and knowledge based society in Bangladesh for the last two decade.

He has been selected for the GAID Strategy Council through a process. The Conference of NGO’s In Consultative Relationship with the United Nation (CONGO) has collected ICT for Development related a list of 240 persons from all through the world. In this selection procedure main considerable points were experience in ICT for Development and its development, goal, interest, relative ideas about UN’s working and implementation strategy. After that jurors select 63 from 198 for first judging, later 21 from 63 and finally 10 from 21 has been selected.

The duty of Strategy Council would be combination of ICT in the total development procedure of UN, building up healthy relationship between the organizations working in the field of ICT for Development in different countries, and developing awareness among the policy makers of the countries. The elected members also give advice to the Secretary General of UN.

BNNRC will call a discussion meeting with the persons and organizations that are related with ICT for Development in Bangladesh to ensure the effective role of BNNRC in the process of GAID.

BNNRC acknowledge the congenial support from Cordaid- Netherlands for Promoting Appropriate Technologies and Policies to Uphold the Value ICT as Basic Human Rights Project.

For more information: www.un-gaid.org

Under the motto “Voices of the world; free the airwaves”, more than 350 community radio practitioners from 94 countries concluded today the Ninth World Conference of Community Radio Broadcasters with a strong message for the development of community radio in the Middle East and North Africa.

AHM Bazlur Rahman, Chief Executive Officer of BNNRC has participated in the AMARC9 global conference held in Amman, Jordan during 11-18 November, 2006

The Ninth gathering of the World Association of Community Radio broadcasters, AMARC, was hosted by its member, the Jordanian pioneer Internet and community radio AmmanNet and held in Amman, Jordan from 11 to 17 November. The conference explored media freedom in the Middle East and North Africa region resulting in the establishment of a 10 member-working group and the establishment of a secretariat in Amman to support the development of community radio in the MENA region. Likewise women voices for gender equality day pushed forward women’s rights as the basic principle for the existence of community radio.

The principal theme of AMARC 9 was on media, freedom and social justice. Community radio practitioners and stakeholders from all over the world explored ways to remove barriers and increase the efficiency of community radio. They completed the first phase of the participatory action research process that helped update the challenges to community radio. The participants denounced the absence of proper legislative environments and the need to continue to lobby for community radio recognition at all levels. They insisted in the need to increase knowledge sharing and capacity building in the network, to strengthen the exchanges among the regions and to further contribute to achieve millennium development goals, democracy and sustainability. CR members of AMARC convened to discuss reports and to define the strategic plan for 2007 to 2010. They also passed several resolutions and elected the International Board composed of the following members:

* Steve Buckley, President,
* Aleida Calleja as deputy president
* Elizabeth Robinson, treasurer
* Marcelo Solervicens, Secretary General
* Maria Victoria Cabrera Balleza, Vice President of the Women International Network,
* Maria Pia Matta, Vice President for Latin America & the Caribbean
* Ashish Sen, Vice President of AMARC Asia Pacific
* Grace Githaiga, Vice President for Africa;
* Mariano Sanchez, Vice President for Europe;
* Daoud Kuttab, Vice President;
* Oumar Seck Ndiaye, Vice President
* Sony Steuss, Vice President
* Jim Ellinger, Vice President

For further information visit http://amarc9.amarc.org

On September 28, the World Right to Know Day, 2006 The Other Vision Communication (OVC), Young Power in Social Action (YPSA) and Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication(BNNRC) organised various interventions in Bangladesh. Published a poster about World Right to Know Day 2006, a leaflet and a postcard.

COAST Trust has organized a round table on 05th November 2006 to commemorate great cyclone of 19- 23 September, 2006, around thousand of coastal people has died with a lot of damages in Bangladesh in cooperation with Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication(BNNRC), Jago Nari, Sankalpa, DUS, YPSA, CODEC, SSDP, NRDS, Sagarika, SDI, Shed, Fairs-Bangladesh, Manisher Jannya Foundation, Action Aid-Bangladesh and CARE- Bangladesh

Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP) is the leading international multi-stakeholder network committed to harnessing multi-stakeholder network committed to harnessing the potential of information and communication technologies (ICT) for sustainable and equitable development.

During 8-10 May, 2006 International Forum on Cross Sector Partnership 2006 and GKP– Annual General Meeting were held in Colombo.

The two-day event brings together invited business, civil society and government to share innovations with Information and Communications Technologies for Development (ICT4D), and build new innovative partnership-based initiatives using ICT to create prosperity.

More than 220 participants from around the world are expected to the two-day conference, with nearly 80 participants from Sri Lanka.

Forum participants are encouraged to identify opportunities and challenges in forming and maintaining cross-sectoral partnerships in ICT for development, and also discuss current topics and areas of interest in ICT4D within the South Asia region, and beyond.

They would also share experiences in cross-sector partnerships and the innovative use of ICT as tools for development, and to meet international and regional ICT4D players with the opportunities to form cross-sectoral partnerships for mutual benefit.

GKP is the leading international multi-stakeholder network committed to harnessing the potential of information and communication technologies (ICT) for sustainable and equitable development. Ranging form grassroots practitioners to policy-makers, GKP members and partners are innovators in the practical use of ICT for development.

Through GKP, governments, business and civil society organisations, share their experience, ideas, issues and solutions to unleash the potential of ICT to improve lives, reduce poverty and empower people.

The sponsors for the forum in Sri Lanka are Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, International Development Research Center and the Swedish International Development Cooperation agency (Sida).

Is is jointly hosted by Young Asia Television, Sarvoldays Sharamadana Movement of Sri Lanka, Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sir Lanka and Practical Action.

The Local Sponsors are Dialog Telecom, Intel EM Ltd, Microsoft Corporation, Panora and Virtusa, while the forum's knowledge Partner is Innovation Funders Network.

On behalf of BNNRC, as a speaker The Chief Executive Officer Mr. AHM Bazlur Rahman participated the event. At Plenary 4 – Post Tsunami : The Day After Yesterday, he presented on Role of ICT in Disaster Preparedness in Bangladesh.

A national consultation entitling “National Consultation on Designing an Enabling Framework for Community Radio in Bangladesh” was held in Dhaka on 6th and 7th December 2005. BNNRC, MMC, VOICE, YPSA and FOCUS are jointly organizing the seminar. UNESCO, UNICEF and UNDP are providing the funding assistance. Objectives of the consultation were: a) To inform the national opinion leaders and policy makers on progress related to CR in SAARC countries. b) To identify course of action on how to proceed in respect of CR in Bangladesh and c) To draw some level of commitment from the government policy makers for favorable policy environment on CR in Bangladesh. Out put the consultations were a) Government and policy makers responded positively to the demand of participants. b) Designing an enabling framework for community radio in Bangladesh. c) Proceeding of the national consultation session is published and distributed to the stakeholders and duty bearers. Besides some international participants, it was gathering of top echelon peoples from policy making spheres of Government of Bangladesh. More than 100 participants from politics, civil society, development organization, media attended the consultation. A steering committee was also been formed in this regard.

A national consultation entitling “National Consultation on Designing an Enabling Framework for Community Radio in Bangladesh” is going to held in Dhaka on 6th and 7th November 2005. BNNRC, MMC, VOICE, YPSA and FOCUS are jointly organizing the seminar. UNESCO, UNICEF and UNDP are providing the funding assistance.

Objectives of the consultation are:

To inform the national opinion leaders and policy makers on progress related to CR in SAARC countries.

To identify course of action on how to proceed in respect of CR in Bangladesh and

To draw some level of commitment from the government policy makers for favorable policy environment on CR in Bangladesh.

Out put the consultations are

Government and policy makers responded positively to the demand of participants.

Designing an enabling framework for community radio in Bangladesh.

Proceeding of the national consultation session is published and distributed to the stakeholders and duty bearers.

Besides some international participants, it is going to be a gathering of top echelon peoples from policy making spheres of Government of Bangladesh. More than 100 participants from politics, civil society, development organization, media are expected to attend the consultation. A steering committee has also been formed in this regard.

The output of this consultation will be shared in the AMARC-Asia Pacific, going to he held in Bali this November

A six members delegation from Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication(BNNRC) has participated in the AMARC Asia Pacific conference held in Jakarta, Indonesia 24-27 November 2005 during February 2003

Today, on 27th September, 2005 BNNRC along with some other ICT related development activists met with a team of UNDP foreign delegates who were in charge of gathering field information for sketching the course of action of ICT cell of UNDP Bangladesh Office.

The topics of the discussion covered different issues on ICT policy and strategy in relation to the responsibility of the state. Besides, different impediments, ICT activists are currently facing were another subject matter to talk with. The meeting concluded with gathering views of the organization regarding WSIS process in Bangladesh.

With other like minded organizations, BNNRC also presented its activities in the meeting.

We are pleased to invite you to participate in a seminar on ‘Media and Governance’ in observance of World Press Freedom Day 2005 to be held in Dhaka at National Press Club (VIP Lounge, 1st floor) on Tuesday, May 3, 2005 from 9.30 am to 1 pm.

Eminent journalist Mr. Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul has kindly consented to be the Moderator of the occasion. The key note paper will be presented by Mr. Dulal Chandra Biswas, Chairman, Department of Mass Communication, University of Rajshahi. This seminar will involve a wide range of civil society including media activists and experts, academicians, journalists, local and national NGOs and members of the international donor community. The main purpose will be to assess the key impediments to press freedom in Bangladesh and to formulate collective strategies at all levels in facing the challenges to ensure press freedom and governance.

3rd May, 2005 is the World Press Freedom Day. A Development Research Organization VOICE and Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) organize a seminar entitled Independent Journalism: Media and Good Governance at National Press Club to observe the day in cooperation with UNESCO..

Renowned Journalist Mr. Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul attends as the moderator in the seminar. Dr. Golam Rahman, professor of Mass Communication and Journalism of Dhaka University, Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, Secretary of SUPRO, Mr. Sharif A Kafi, Executive Director of BDPC and Fahmidul Huq, Lecturer of Mass Communication and Journalism of Dhaka University attend in the seminar as the panel discussants.

Dulal Chandra Biswash the Chairman of Mass Communication and Journalism of Rajshahi University presents the keynote paper in the seminar. He focuses the importance of journalism, control of the market on media in the age of globalization, profit and journalism in his paper. The discussants remark that the role of independent journalism is significantly important to ensure good governance. They mention that good governance is being threatened by turns through the violation of Human Rights and terror, death threats and killing the journalists. The mass media are now threatened due to the government and non government control over media that opposes free journalism. The discussants present importance on freedom of expression and free journalism to reinforce Democracy and progressive trend of thinking in the society and they urge for the freedom of expression and free journalism for the democracy and good governance.

The policy strategies and things to do are discussed in the seminar besides pointing out the existing difficulties. AHM Bazlur Rahman of BNNRC, Ahmed Swapan of VOICE, Social Scientist Dr. Khurshid Alam, Afroza Naznin, Sabrina Sharmin, Shishir Shil of PET, Farhana Afroz, Shamsunnahar Lina deliberate speech in the seminar.

In the seminar one minute silence is rewarded for the journalists who were killed and tortured by the terrorists while carrying out their duties.

A six member delegation from BNNRC has participated in the AMARC8 global conference held in Nepal during February 2003. BNNRC was also co sponsor of the Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP) conference held in Dhaka during 2002. BNNRC members have actively participated in the workshop.

Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio & Communication (BNNRC) conducted three days training workshop on establishment and management policies of Rural Knowledge Centers For fostering the rural prosperity, all over the developing world a new concept of Rural Knowledge Centers (RKC) has been emerged through which villagers can proceed towards poverty alleviation by increasing their household income. Right at this moment, in Bangladesh not more than 10 such kinds of centers are operating and it of course falls far behind the requirement. Under a policy, BD government has taken a decision to establish a center resembling this RKC in every upazila. To aid the implementation of this government initiative and bridging the acute digital divide exists between rural and urban areas, Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication recently conducted a three days training workshop focusing on establishment and management policies of Rural Knowledge Center under the title of Rural Knowledge Center : How to Get Started and Keep Going.

For those uninitiated Oneworld World South Asia is an regional NGO of an International network working with the aim of voicing the voiceless by harnessing the potential of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). Its work ranges from taking ICTs to the grassroots, promoting knowledge for development, research and policy advocacy on issues of concern. OWSA's Fifth Annual Regional Meeting brought in 250 NGO partners, government officials, academicians, private players, donors, grassroots people, on a common platform to deliberate on the progress of MDGs in the region. Continuing its efforts to focus on achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) in South Asia, OWSA adopted "Knowledge-based advocacy for achieving MDGs" as its theme for its two day meeting. Giving a South Asian flavour to the whole meeting, the Annual Regional Meeting focused on the progress of the MDGs in the region. Six parallel sessions on poverty and livelihood, Education, Gender, Health, Environment and Governance were organized to explore the role of ICTs in ensuring its proper deliverance. Mr. AHM Bazlur Rahman participated the conference on behalf of BNNRC.

Rapid advances in ICT have continued to drive economic changes, restructure businesses, affect skill and employment models, and contribute significantly to growth and wealth creation. However, these developments are largely uneven, as many people in the world have been deprived of access to and use of information. With a shared vision of overcoming the digital divide, industry leaders from all over the world put their heads together at the International ICT Conference 2005 held in Dhaka for forging a common understanding as well as addressing some relevant issues. This event also provided a unique platform in the promotion of investment and creation of business opportunities at proposed High Tech Park in Bangladesh. As an international event, apart from the general public and the press, the Dhaka Conference brought together over 100 high level representatives of the ICT industry, government, civil society, academia and private sector from over 40 countries around the globe to share the best practices and exchange knowledge and ideas that will shape the future of the global ICT development. The Conference also showcased the world's best practices in quality e-Content in the framework of the World Summit Award Exhibition and place a special emphasis on added value and demonstrating the concrete benefits of quality e-Content to the ICT industry and the general public. BNNRC Chief Executive, Mr. AHM Bazalur Rahman presented the expected role of civil society in the information society, at the event. For more detail please visit www.mosict.gov.bd.

Due to the departmental directive on banning mobile companies’ free talk time offers Bangladesh Telecomm Regulatory Commission (BTRC), mobile operators and consumers stand face to face. Nonetheless, the guardians have become happy. This information is revealed through an informal survey conducted recently by Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio & Communication (BNNRC). At the press conference held on January 19, 2005 (11:00 am) at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity, it is said that BTRC is responsible to uphold the rights of 9 million mobile subscribers. To address this responsibility staying within the periphery of Telecommunication act, BTRC ordered to stop mobile companies’ free talk time offer during night. At the 30(d) subsection of telecommunication act, BTRC has been designated “to protect the social and economic interests of the consumers, to respond to their needs, and to control and abolish the existing and probable oppressive or discriminatory conduct or activities of the telecommunication service providers. Mobile companies are feeling that the step taken by BTRC will harm their business. On the other hand, the beneficiaries of such free talk time offer that is youths are assumed to be unhappy though their parents welcomed the decision. At the conference, the theme paper Mobile companies’ aggression endangers our cultural values was presented by Golam Nabi Jewel, Consultant, BNNRC. Different questions raised by the journalists were addressed by AHM Bazlur Rahman, Chief Executive officer and Mohammad Abdur Rouf, Program Coordiantor of Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio & Communication.

Telecentre movement is gathering momentum across the globe. The variety of form and functions makes the telecentre movement unique and vibrant in many countries of the world. In India, telecentre movement reached a level, where a multi-stakeholder initiative titled “Mission 2007” was launched, under which 600,000 telecentres will be established across the country by 2007. While telecentre is essentially a kiosk for communications for the communities, it is evident that only kiosk model is not enough to address the problems of livelihood of rural community, particularly the needs of the underprivileged part. As a result, access to livelihood information and knowledge is becoming the focal point of telecentre.

It is also evident that diversified forms of ownership are in existence in parallel. Some people stress on a business model or entrepreneurship model, others emphasise on the market failure and stress on the importance of add-in of access to information services with the current services provided by social organisations. Truth may lie in the middle, where a telecentre provides communication services and other ICT services, which generate incomes, and cross-subsidise the access to information needs of the poor and vulnerable including. Whatever would be combination of ownership, services and social focus, the underlying common denominator is that ICTs have to play an important role in reducing poverty and empowerment of disadvantaged people.

Successes of various types of models sparks enthusiasm among many national level and grass root levels organisations to be involved with the telecentre movement. It is very timely that International networks like telecentre.org initiated by International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP) inspires the global telecentre movement so that local communities can unleash the potential of ICTs for poverty alleviation.

In this backdrop, Development Research Network (D.Net) in association with Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) and Young Power of Social Action (YPSA) has organised a three-day training workshop for the social entrepreneurs and telecentre practitioners of Bangladesh for sharing ideas to accelerate telecentre movement in Bangladesh.

OBJECTIVE
To mobilise social entrepreneurs and practitioners in building system of ICT-based livelihood information delivery for the rural community.
Workshop participants will be able to ….

•MEET international and regional ICT4D players
•LEARN and SHARE knowledge about cross-sector partnerships and the innovative use of ICT as tools for development
•GATHER solutions to challenges involved forming and maintaining cross-sectoral partnerships in ICT for development and
•MAKE contacts and identify possible new scope for collaboration with telecentre family at Bangladesh

THE PARTICIPANTS
•Information and knowledge workers bringing grass-root knowledge and credibility
•Telecentre managers and practitioners exchange their experiences
•NGOs working at the grass root level find a possibility to initiative new programmes
•Existing and potential social entrepreneurs in practice can explore their investment opportunity in telecentres
•Institutions having potential to collaborate with telecentre practitioners
•Donor agencies interested in ICT4D may confer the potential of bringing the new way to collaboration.

ISSUE OF DISCUSSION
•Why Access to information is Important?: The discussion will focus on introducing the scope of leveraging ICTs in regards to ensuring access to information for improvement of livelihood of the poor and underprivileged.
•Telecentre: How does it Work: The discussion will focus on different types of telecentre around Bangladesh and abroad and thus can learn its potential in social development. Discussion will focus on introducing the scope of leveraging ICTs.
•Global Telecentre Experiences: Share experiences of the telecentre operation around the globe with special focus on India and Sri Lanka

1.Build your Telecentre: Providing guideline for various types of telecentre building based on the ingredients available at the organization level.
2.Presentation of a film on telecentre operation in Bangladesh: A film (10 minutes) will be showed to the participants.
3.Development of a telecentre cookbook: Develop the ingredients of different telecentre and its operation modalities. Develop a list of ingredients necessary for building telecentre.
4.Working session on Building and Operations of Telecentre: Form five (5) groups and each group will develop their own telecentre picking up ingredients from the cook book.

•How to Sustain Telecentre: Models in Practice: Open Presentation on different sustainability models of telecentre
•Discussion on Mission 2011 (How to go about it): An informal discussion with participants about building national coalition for building telecentre in every village of Bangladesh.

•Filed Visit a telecentre titled “Pallitathya Kednra” in Nilphamari
1.Meet the information workers (infomediary): Share experiences about the works and tasks of an infomediary.
2.Meet the mobile lady: Share works and tasks of a mobile lady
Experience Sharing with Local Community: Share with community about their view on telecentre and its impact on their livelihood improvement including establishing right to information

With a vision of promoting the use of ICTs in activities related to economic development and social well-being of the people of Bangladesh, particularly with respect to Millennium Development Goals, an ICT caucus is formed very recently in Bangladesh Parliament with the participation of twenty four elected constituency representatives with different political background. Mr. Md. Nurul Islam Moni, MP – Barguana-2 and Chairman, Standing Committee on the Ministry of Science and ICT has been selected as the Chairperson of this caucus.

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) offer an unique and revolutionary tool for tackling issues of economic development and social well-being. ICTs potentially offer developing countries like Bangladesh to 'leapfrog' several stages of development. For Bangladesh to be able to leverage this opportunity, it is imperative that the Honorable Members of Parliament of Bangladesh fully realize the potential of ICTs and work in their individual capacities to provide leadership in the use of ICTs for development.

Major objectives of forming this caucus are i) To become aware of the potential of ICTs for development, ii) To sensitize the Parliament in recognizing the role and importance of ICTs as a tool for development, iii) To identify scope for the use of ICTs in various development-related activities, iv) To become aware of the policy issues surrounding ICT and Development and v) To develop specific intervention strategies on use of ICTs for development

Under this caucus different activties would be undertaken. Among them, few significant ones are i) Organize awareness-raising seminar and workshops for Honorable MPs on issues related to ICT and development, ii) Organize roundtables for Honorable MPs to discuss strategies and steps for mainstreaming ICTs into developmental activities, iii) Advocacy regarding policy issues of ICT and development and iv) Policy dialogues with CSOs and development partners on issues of ICT and development.

It is expected that through taking effective steps, this caucus will assist to evolve a Parliament that provides leadership and guidance in the use of ICTs for development and that is more responsive to ICT-related policy issues.

Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio & Communication (BNNRC) has been advocating to form such a body for a pretty long time. BNNRC was maintaining continuous liaison with Strengthening Parliamentary Democracy Project (SPDP) implemented by UNDP.

Right to Information(RTI): An advocate to ensure peoples’ Right

BNNRC was established conforming to the International Charter - Article 19 of Universal Declaration of Human Right. Right to Information is one of BNNRC’s elementary mandates. Since year 2000, BNNRC has been working nationally and internationally in different fields related to Right to Information.

We can not refuse the fact that general people of Bangladesh are not very much aware of their right to information. In Bangladesh, a developing country with a par capita income of around US$380 and overall literacy rate of around 40%, a better picture can not again be expected. However, a change in awareness level is being evident gradually.

Usually the privileged portion of the population seems to be concerned with their right. People with a moderate level of education, having a standard livelihood, living in the urban areas or attached with political process are found to be concerned with their information right. On the other hand, rural, marginalized, disadvantaged, illiterate people are the main subject to the ignorance of their right.

However the good side of the coin is - policy level has started to recognize the importance of this basic right. In year 2003, Bangladesh Law Commission (BLC) drafted a act on Right to Information (RTI). Since then, BNNRC is maintaining continuous liaison with BLC and Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs. Till date we have disseminated around 500 copies (soft & hard copy) of drafted RTI law among multi stakeholders. BNNRC is continuously urging to integrate the drafted act with the PRSP and WSIS-Bangladesh action plan. Our campaign for upholding this right was not only limited to the high echelon but we conducted campaign among the grass-root beneficiaries of the movement through our networking members.

If we want to list our achievements till date, it won’t be that long. But it had good impact and provides us enough energy to move forward with the issue. As soon as the act was drafted, we provided a quick reaction & review to law commission. Besides maintaining liaison with national stakeholders, we are trying to keep regular solidarity with international organizations. In addition to these, we are in charge of maintaining a listserv on RTI (RTI-Bangladesh listserv).

Having working in a developing country, BNNRC faced numerous challenges in the process. Official Secrecy Act and slow response from key stakeholders i.e. ministry, law commission were the most important two. Besides, lack of cooperation from DUJ, BFUJ and other important media stakeholders and lack of funding for RTI related campaign are two others to be mentioned. It’s also a matter of regret that no reflection regarding RTI in donors’ strategy papers is found.

BNNRC strongly believes that some strategies and measures should be initiated to solve the above mentioned challenges. We should immediately create a National Forum and start long term campaign on RTI. Effective communication should be established with press and other media bodies. Donor coordination should be strengthened. A local Consultative Group (LCG) and increased political communication will also be able to provide good results.

In the whole process, grass root people can not be left aside. BNNRC and its networking members have a wide experience in working with grass root population. For involving these people to this movement, we feel the following measure would be proven effective if initiated - a) NGOs can aware their beneficiaries/target groups/group members regarding RTI; b) Local civil society, political party, pres, administration (local government) can add significant value in raising awareness and c) Integrated country wide mass campaign initiated at the same time in all the levels.

We have ascertained the key stakeholders/role players in government in Bangladesh. They are a) Law Commission; b) Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs; c) Ministry of Information d) Press Institute of Bangladesh (PIB) and e) Secretariat to Prime Minister’s office. Besides, Media, NGOs, CSOs, Private sector and politicians have their specific roles to be played for the success of the process.


All the key stakeholders (State, Media, Politicians, NGOs, CSOs and Private Sectors) in a democratic country have specific roles (mentioned above) to undergo. No single party can draw the achievement solely. It’s a multi player game. So, everyone from specific place should do his/her duty. Only then the common people of Bangladesh can expect to enjoy the nutrients of the very basic food of life - Right to Information.

Day long Seminar on Internet Governance: Global, Regional and National Perspective was held on 14 October, 2006 at Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh jointly organised by Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication(BNNRC)and Monthly Computer Jagat.

The Chief Executive of Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication AHM Bazlur Rahman first delivered his welcome speech in the seminar. Then the key note paper was presented by Information and Communication specialist TIM Nural Kabir. The summery of the seminar was then presented by Editor in Charge of monthly Computer Jagat, Mr Golap Monir and finally the Assistant Editor of Computer Jagat M. A. Haque Anu thanked everyone.

The keynote paper was presented by TIM Nurul Kabir, an expert on this subject, while the seminar was attended by represented by deferent sections, like business forums, NGOs, Media etc. Seminar participants proposed different models for the process of establishing an Internet Governance mechanism acceptable to the people around the goal keeping in mind that the main theme should be ‘Internet Governance for Development’.

The participants stressed on for broad themes as recommended by IGF and they are:

• Openness- freedom expression, free flow of information, ideas an knowledge;

• Security- creating trust and confidence through collaboration;

• Diversity-promoting multilingualism and local content;

• Access- Internet Connectivity: policy and cost.

More>>

'Blended E-learning' is the latest model of teaching for students of all societies. Before this it used to be assumed that only the rich section of society could access the tools of ICTs in education. But my research and theories on education has showed ways to increase accessibility of e-learning for all classes of people. To bridge the digital divide we have to expand accessibility of e-learning and learners' need based education system."

Dr Badrul H Khan made these observations while delivering a long speech on "E-learning for All: Bridging the Digital Divide" at the conference room of Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) where ICT journalists and education experts attended. The world famous educationist has changed traditional e-learning g system with his brilliant ideas and innovations.

"Unfortunately our government is not interested in training up teachers, who are becoming distant from the modern techniques of education. This has led most of them to become scared to learn new methodologies of teaching students." The e-learning guru said.

Dr Badrul H Khan has earned a name as an international speaker, author, educator and consultant in the field of e-learning and educational technology. He has served as the founding Director of the Educational Technology Leadership (ETL) graduate cohort programme at The George Washington University, and also as the founding Director of the Educational Technology (ET) graduate programme at the University of Texas, Brownsville, besides serving as an Instructional Developer and Evaluation Specialist in the School of Medicine at Indiana University, Indianapolis. Currently he is the president of Asia Virtual University and is establishing a new kind of teaching institute named McWeadon University.

The reputed scholar further mentioned in a disappointed tone, "Governments of many countries are asking for my suggestions to improve their education system. I regularly get their invitation to solve problems in the education field and they are greatly interested to adopt my model of e-learning. But it is painful to say that neither the Bangladesh government nor any private body has invited me so far in this regard."

He was the main scholar for coining the term 'Web Based Instruction' and mentioned to the ICT correspondents, "I defined in my well-read book 'Web Based Instruction' (1997) - a hypermedia-based instructional programme, which utilises the attributes and resources of the World Wide Web - the creation of a meaningful learning environment, thereby indicating that learning is nurtured and supported. Soon after publishing the book I got huge response from learners as well as academicians. It became an early bestseller and was adopted as textbook and reference work in over 350 universities, colleges and organisations throughout the world. Indeed there was idea of e-education and distance learning before me. But you can say learners of the world first got the fully spelt out theory on 'Web based Instruction' from me when World Wide Web connected us into the cyber world. At that time I got the idea intuitively, then later I formulated my theories on e-learning."

Dr Monzur Ahmed of BRAC University commented, "My University is conducting a programme on e-learning and some of the expertise we acquired on the subject needs to be implemented in a satisfactory way."

A H M Bazlur Rahman, Chief Executive Officer of Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication said, " We are proud of Dr Badrul H Khan, he introduced unique models to e-learning and every advanced university is appreciating his theory and practices."
Shahidul K K Shuvra, Information Technology page editor of The Independent, who moderated the seminar, said, "Dr Badrul H Khan's books have been translated into all major languages, unfortunately, we have failed to translate his books as yet. To bridge digital divide we should explore models of his education theories on e-learning and popularise his ideas in our country based on Bangla e-learning materials."

BNNRC’s recommendations to ICT sector in the proposed budget of Bangladesh 2007-2008

Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) has recommended that there is no reflection of implementation of committed action plan by the Government of Bangladesh towards the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) and World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) in the allocation for Information and Communication technology (ICT) sector of the proposed budget of 2007-2008.

The strategy had been taken in the PRSP to increase the access to ICT for disadvantaged groups and accordingly telecentres will be established at different places of upazilas to provide all sorts of information such as agriculture, food, education, health etc. and to promote use of ICT in disaster management and risk reduction and increasing capacity of the poor to manage disaster. But no reflection has been seen in the proposed budget.

According to the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) Action Plan the Government committed that internet connection will be provided to the students of schools and colleges. But due to lack of allocation in the budget in this regard, the ICT movement will be obstructed,

BNNRC recommends to the Government to withdraw all kind of duties and Value Added Taxes (VAT) on computer and accessories, cartage, internet services, camera, mobile phone, SIM card, laminating machine, photocopy machine, and solar home system etc.
BNNRC seems that the Government should promote the nation to use open source software instead of pirate software and allocation will be needed in this purpose, so that the whole nation will be stopped from a pirate culture.

It has been observed that budget of the Ministry of Science and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has been formulated based on some institutions, which impact will not contribute directly to the lives and livelihood of the poor. Otherwise, due to impose of 10% duties on computer and its accessories and also including 15% Value Added Tax (VAT), the price of computer equipment must be increased up to 25%. As a result, the access to ICT of rural people will be hampered very seriously. Finally, the commitment of the Government to the people of the world regarding reducing digital divide will become a nightmare.

BNNRC seems that importance should be given on ICT what directly will play role on the lives and livelihood of the poor people during formulating the budget and fund must be allocated accordingly. It should be keeping in mind that access to ICT is not a privilege, it has become a basic human rights and it should be done towards reducing information divide/ knowledge divide between urban and rural.

Besides including these in the budget, BNNRC suggests to ensure the permission for Community Radio, to enact Right to Information Act, National Broadcasting Policy, 2003 (Draft) and allocation of 10% phone for income less people of rural area according to Telecom Act, 2001.

Description: Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication(BNNRC) run campaign and seek dialogues with the Bangladeshi government to get waiver on radio/TV license fees in Bangladesh.

Campaign to Waive the Radio/TV License Fees in Bangladesh

Campaign Summary:
A rumor was spread over the country that the Joint forces have been examining the license of radio and television after formation of the new Care taker Government and declaration of Emergency Power Rule. Whether the people could not show the license, the forces are taking the radio and televisions forcefully or breaking those.

There were several news on this published in the National dailies and broadcasted over the channels. BNNRC has been making dialogues with the government since a long time to waive the fees of license of Radio and TV.

Objectives:

- To leave the license fees of radio and TV in the changing situation.
- To formulate a convergence policy regarding the use of information & communication technology (ICT), telecommunication, Broadband, Cable TV including radio and television and also
- To establish people’s rights in mass media.

The Story:
At present, a citizen of Bangladesh has to pay Taka. 450 ($ 6.7) and Taka. 20 per year for using TV and Radio respectively. Besides, it was not clear to the concern departments of Government, users or to civil society what the Government wants through different circulations, which were circulated in time to time. Some of them said that those who make license since 2000, they do not need to pay. Another parts said that those who paid license fee during buying TV/Radio, they also not to need to do license. Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) talked to many officers of many departments but did not get any clear guideline over this. So, the rumor spread over the country.

In this context, a young pro-people journalist Mr. Shawkat Milton, Staff Reporter of ATN - Bangla requested Mr. AHM Bazlur Rahman, of BNNRC to give an expert opinion on this regard for ATN Bangla prime news.AHM Bazlur Rahman commented:
1.According to the Wireless Telegraphy Act of 1933 and 1970 the Government is now collecting Radio/TV using fees.
2.But when the government took that decision, then there was no other media except Government own Radio and TV.
3.Due to globalisation, there are many commercial and community based broadcasting systems have been operating in the country; it does not have any logic to collect license fees from the people. Because, the people are now watching/ listening private channels and private radios as like as NTV, ATN -Bangla, Channel 1, Channel I, Bangla Vision, Baishakhi, RTV, Radio Furti, Radio Today etc. So there is no reason to take license fee only for Watching Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Radio.
4.Besides, TV/Radio can be watched or heard by using ICT e.i. Computer, Laptop, Mobile Phone.
5.Firstly, it is not logical to take license fees. Secondly, if the Government wants to take license fees, then it should be divided among the fees Public Broadcasting system, Commercial Broadcasting system and also Community Broadcasting system.

Outcomes:
After broadcasting the interview of Mr. AHM Bazlur Rahman, The CEO of BNNRC in ATN Bangla, more than 100 phone calls have been received from the civil society of the country. The interview was highly appreciated by different level of society. A Press Note was circulated on that night from the Press Information Department of the Government and also it demanded that no this type of responsibility was given to the Joint forces. It was requested in the press note to hand-over to the police if anybody again go to examine the license.

- This was given highly importance in the Advisory Council’s meeting also. Besides this, an amount has to pay by the buyers at the time of buying Radio/TV. They recommended fixing it for once a time. Those who bought radio/TV already in the mean time, they should be waived from license fees.

The Character:
-ATN-Bangla played a pro-people responsible role broadcasting the report on such public interest related in appropriate time.
-Through an interview, RAB requested not to believe the rumor. They also informed that RAB is not involved with this.
-The Advisory Council to the Care-taker Government considered it as a very important people’s agenda.

End of the Story:
According to vision of Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) the license system of Radio/TV is an obstacle to Right to Information of the general people.

BNNRC hope, Government will free the people from the burden of license fee and will remove the existing information divide between urban and rural area. Government will build a knowledge based society what he promised earlier through WSIS action plan. BNNRC will lead the campaign in future again.

Day long Workshop on Information and Communication Technology for Development(ICT4D) on 21 December, 2006 at Zia Nagar Upazila of Pirojpur District jointly organised by Pirojpur Gono Unnayan Samity(PGUS) and Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication(BNNRC).

The Executive Director of PGUS Mr. Md. Ziaul Ahsan first delivered his welcome speech in the workshop. Then the key note paper was presented by AHM Bazlur Rahman.The Upazila Nirbahi Officer(UNO) Mr. Nazmul Haque Khan attended this workshop as the Chief Guest.

Day long workshop on "Information and Communication Technology for Development(ICT4D)" jointly organized by The COAST Trust and Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication(BNNRC), of Charfassion upazila in Bhola district on December 19, 2006.

Mr.Zakir Hossain of COAST Trust first delivered his welcome speech in the workshop.Then the key note paper was presented by ICT4D specialist Mr. Golam Nabi Jewel

Internet service would be provided to students and rural youths in the remote island of Kutubdia following opening of Grameen Gayn Kendra(Rural Knowledge Center)through alternative power source like solar home system(SHS).

With the opening of the coastal knowledge home at Kutubdia Model High School on Tuesday, COAST Trust has opened the door of knowledge to the new generation in the remote island of Bay of Bangle first time in Bangladesh.

Executive Director of The COAST Trust and Vice Chairperson of Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication(BNNRC) Mr.Rezaul Karim Chowdhury- S21K inaugurated the home.

The home will provide an opportunity to students and rural youths to operate Laptop and computer in the island where electricity is yet to reach.

Internet service will be provided by generating electricity through proper utilisation of solar energy.

With the introduction of Internet service, rural youths and students will come under the fold of information technology and move forward along with the urban youths.

Presided over by Prof Delwar Hossain, the function was addressed by Kutubdia Model High School Headmaster Nasir Uddin Kutubi, Unicef project officer Syedul Huq Milky, The Daily Star journalist Muazzem Hossain Shakil, A F M Nurul Alam and others.

Dr. Philip Powell Davies, an official of British Council, London visited Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) on February 6, 2007. The purpose of his visit was to know about the overall activities of BNNRC especially regarding Community Radio movement in Bangladesh.

Mr. AHM Bazlur Rahman, the Chief Executive Officer, BNNRC uphold the activities of the organization through a multimedia presentation. In his presentation Mr. Rahman informed that yet the Government of Bangladesh did not give the permission of Community Radio. Though, Young Power in Social Action (YPSA), a network member of BNNRC broadcasting programs through cable casting (narrow casting) with the funding support from UNESCO.

BNNRC is now lobbing for open up license for Community Radio with the Government at least as pilot basis.

After a short introduction of British Council’s activities Mr. Davies wanted to know how long the government will take to open up the license for CR . He also asked about operational cost and technical cost for establishing a station of Community Radio. How Community Radio will play a role to social change whether, it will broadcast only entertainment programs or educational programs, he wanted to know.

The CEO of BNNRC told him that BNNRC is now trying to broadcast in piloting basis. If the Caretaker Government permit to broadcast Community Radio, BNNRC and its partner organizations are ready to launch it.

In the meeting, among others Mr. Kamaruzzaman,Program Coordinator,Ms. Nasreen Ara Begum, Coordinator, Policy Research & Advocacy and Mr. Borhan Uddin Coordinator, Finance & Administration were presented.

Mr. Md. Rafiqul Alam, Chairperson of Bangladesh NGOs Network for radio and Communication (BNNRC) and Executive Director of Dwip Unnayan Songstha (DUS) and Mr. Kamaruzzaman, Program Coordinator of BNNRC are going to join the Annual Regional Meeting (ARM) of One World South Asia (OWSA). More

Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) has organized a two- day review and training program for the Managers of Rural Knowledge Centers (RKC) at its conference room on May 30, 2007.

Managers from YPSA, Dwip Unnayan Songstha, COAST Trust, SPEED Trust, Sankalpa Trust, Pirojpur Gono Unnayan Samity,and BRIDG, the member organizations of BNNRC participated in the training. The RKCs are run by the member organizations with the assistance of BNNRC.

Mr. A H M Bazlur Rahman, the Chief Executive Officer, BNNRC welcomed the participants in the review and training program.

The topics discussed in the first day were: the progress of RKCs, Problems identification and suggestions, the sustainability of RKCs and their business plan, Information, Case-Study, News writing techniques, Advocacy, Finance and Office management of RKCs, Reporting format, Data preservation process etc.

In the second day the RKC managers have been given different tips on computer e.g. E-mail sending process, download process from internet, sending attached file, some trouble shooting, scanning, pen drive use etc.

In the concluding session, Mr. Rafiqul Alam, Chairperson of BNNRC and Executive Director of Dwip Unnayan Shangstha (DUS) was present as chief guest.

After exchanging wishes with the participants, he wanted to know the feedback from the participants. He told that if their expectations would be fulfilled then the training termed as successful.

He requested the participants to take new initiatives in RKCs and gave different examples so that the rural people will be benefited and as well as the RKC would be sustained. He also thanked BNNRC to arrange such a useful training for the RKC managers.

Bangladesh Information Society Watch Group (BISWG) was formed in Dhaka in a bid to review the progress of WSIS action plan in the country.

The initiative was taken at a discussion meeting jointly organised by BNNRC, Bytesforall Bangladesh, and Monthly Computer Jagot at BNNRC office in Dhaka on June 23.

AHM Bazlur Rahman, chief executive officer of Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio Communication (BNNRC), has been nominated convener of the newly formed body.

Abdullah H. Kafi, Member of United Nations Internet Governance Advisory Group, Ananya Raihan of D.Net, Hakikur Rahman of SDNP, TIM Nurul Kabir, Monjur Mahmud of Bytesforall Bangladesh, MA Haque Anu, president Bangladesh ICT Journalist Forum,! senior journalists and representatives of other civil society organisations attended the meeting.

The meeting was organized to share present status and create awareness on WSIS action plan.

Stressing the need for increasing the number of Internet users in Bangladesh, Kafi said Internet users should go up to build a vibrant information society in the country.

Referring to different global conferences on ICT, he said priority issues of the developed nations and least developed countries (LDCs) are different and that’s why problems of the LDCs are not addressed at these meetings.

Kafi emphasised on more participation from developing countries at the global level.

World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) action plan, initiated in Geneva in 2003 and followed up in Tunis in 2005, is being implemented across the world and Bangladesh is one of the signatories.

A follow up meeting was also held in Geneva from May 15 to 25 this year. Government officials and representatives from the civil society organisations and private sector participated in the meeting.
“But there is no coordinated effort in Bangladesh to implement the WSIS action plan. So, it has become very difficult to assess the progress of action plan in Bangladesh,” Bazlur Rahman mentioned, while speaking at the meeting.

By Monjur Mahmud (Incomplete story: Will update shortly)

Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) participates actively in Voter Registration for preparing a fresh voter list with photographs and National Identity Card (NID) program through the Rural Knowledge Centres, taken by the Bangladesh Election Commission in the countrywide.

As a part of its activities to reduce information and communication technologies divide between urban and rural, BNNRC has established 10 Rural Knowledge Centre (RKC) through its member organizations. Eight upazillas of seven districts have been participated in the program. The upazillas are: Kawkhali of Rangamati district, Sitakunda and Mirsarai under Chittagong district, Hatiya under Noakhali, Charfasion of Bhola district, Bauphal of Patuakhali, patharghata under Borguna and Zianagar of Pirojpur district.

To accelerate the Voter Registration and National ID card program, BNNRC has taken a campaign to motivate people to include their names in the voter list and to take photographs for National ID card purpose. The field workers of the respective member organizations of BNNRC like, Young Power in social action (YPSA), Dwip Unnayan Shangstha, COAST Trust, SPEED trust, Sankalpa Trust and Pirojpur Gono Unnayan Samity and the volunteers selected by the RKCs are actively participating in the campaign. The activities have been taken by BNNRC regarding this are as follows:

To collect posters, leaflets, stickers, paper cuttings related to campaign from other organizations and to distribute these at the field level. Continuous motivation program is going on.

A total of 66 where 48 are male and 18 are female have been enlisted as ‘Data Operator” with the help of concern Upazilla Nirbahi Officer through a selection process. Earlier, they have taken computer training from the Rural Knowledge Centres. Some of them are working at Sitakunda upazilla under Chittagong district and others are practicing computer at RKCs for better performance.

Moreover, a process is also going on to build up skills of 29 (Male 20 + Female 09) trainees before November. BNNRC expresses hope that a total of 95 will be included as Data Operator in the program.

Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) and with other Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) has been continuing advocacy with the Government for a long time to open up the Community Radio in Bangladesh.

BNNRC has taken a strategic campaign program where the Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed, Hon'ble Chief Adviser of the Non-Party Care Taker Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, Barrister Mainul Hosein, Adviser of the Ministry of Information and the Mr. Didarul Anower, Secretary of the Ministry of Information were included.

Under the campaign program, an appeal was made to allow the draft broadcasting policy, side by side the Govt. was requested to give permission for launching some community radio as pilot basis. On the basis of the findings of the pilot project, Govt. can allow the full pledged community radio in the country for long term.

As a result of the strategic campaign a eight members high level committee comprising of Government Officials and representative from Community Radio Advocacy Group was formed by Ministry of Information.

Mr. Md. Mahbubul Alam, the Director General of Bangladesh Betar (Bangladesh Radio) was nominated as the Convener. Other members of the committee are: Mr. Iftekher Hossain, Principal Information Officer (Current Charge),Mr. Nasimul Kader Chowdhury, Deputy Director General (News), Bangladesh Betar, Mr. Md. Abdur Rouf, Director (News) Bangladesh Betar, Mr. Mohesh Chardra Roy, Senior Engineer, (Research and Receive Cell) Bangladesh Betar , Mr. Faroha Suhrowardi, Deputy Director (Liaison) Bangladesh Betar, Mr. Kamrul Hasan Monju, Executive Director, Mass-Line Media Centre and Mr. AHM Bazlur Rahman-S21BR, Chief Executive Officer, Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication(BNNRC).

The committee will submit a concept note, guideline and a regulatory frame (draft) of Community Radio to the Secretary of the Ministry of Information within a month.

Six major NGOs have drawn up one-and-a-half-month countrywide programmes to observe the International Right to Know Day with a view to promoting the right to information as a fundamental right and reiterating the demand for enactment of a law in this regard.

Around the world, September 28 is celebrated as the International Right to Know Day to raise awareness about the right to information under the control of government institutions.

At a press conference at the National Press Club in the city yesterday, representatives of the NGOs -- Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF), Ain O Salish Kendra, Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC), Mass Line Media Centre and D.Net --announced their programmes.

The organisers observed that no reform initiatives would be effective if the government fails to enact a law ensuring the right to information.

Although enacting a law in this regard has become a popular demand and the government has already promised to do so, a campaign is needed to make the people aware of its benefits and change the people's mindset because there is a culture of secrecy, especially in the government offices, said TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman.

He also said that ensuring the right to information is a precondition for empowerment of people and good governance.

Although the Law Commission prepared a working paper on Right to Information Act in 2002, no further development in this regard was learnt.

A core expert group invited by the MJF later drafted a law clarifying the definition of information and the role of those responsible for implementing the law, said MJF Programme Director Farzana Naim.

BNNRC Chief Executive Officer AHM Bazlur Rahman and D.Net Programme Director Mahmud Hasan also spoke at the press conference.

With the slogan, "Right to Information -- Promise of Good Governance," the NGOs will jointly organise roundtable, rallies, processions, sticker campaign and workshops to create awareness among the people.

A discussion on good governance and right to information will be held at the LGED auditorium at 3:00pm today.

Dhaka University teacher Robayet Ferdous will present the keynote paper and Anti-Corruption Commission Chairman Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury and former adviser to the caretaker government Sultana Kamal will be present as chief and special guests.

Conscious Citizens' Committees, formed by TIB, will organise discussions and sticker campaigns and bring out processions in different districts, including Chittagong, Rajshahi, Khulna and Sylhet, tomorrow.

BNNRC will observe the day at its nine Rural Knowledge Centres across the country from October 1 to 9 while D.Net will organise open discussion and workshops and bring out processions at its rural information centres from September 28 to 30.

Campaign on Citizens' Right to Information will hold a three-day programme, including a discussion on 'Right to Information to establish rule of law and democracy'.

MMC in collaboration with 18 CSOs/NGOs including Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication(BNNRC)will hold a three-day programme like Citizen’s charter and Right to Information, Risk of Climate Change and Right to Information, The Proposed Right to Information Law in international perspective
Women’s Access to Information: Role of women Journalists, Public Right to Government Information: Strategy of bridging, Importance of National Broadcasting Commission in Bangladesh.

This Program Supported by: World Bank, Article 19 and Manusher Janno Foundation(MJF).

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) should be used strategically and optimistically for empowering the poor especially for the vulnerable people of coastal area, said Syed Marghub Murshed, former Secretary, government of Bangladesh.

He spoke this in an inception meeting of a project named,” Strategic Use of ICT for Poverty Reduction”, organized by Dwip Unnayan Shangtha (DUS) in collaboration with Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC), on July 17, 2007 at BRAC INN, Mohakhali, Dhaka.

Syed Marghub Murshed was the Chief Guest while BMM Mozharul Huq, Consultant of Disaster Management Cluster, UNDP and Dr. Jahedul Alam, Chairperson of Hatiya Dwip Samity were the Special guests. Among others, Geeta Malhotra, Head-ICT Advocacy Grassroots Communication and Capacity Building of One World South Asia, the donor of the project and representatives from HLCIT – Nepal, SEWA- India, D.Net, HASAB, HASI, NIRAPAD, Disaster Forum, OVC, CPP, BDPC, Action-Aid Bangladesh, ALRD, BRIDGE, WIN Incorporate, DUS, Hatiya Dwip Samity and representatives from media attended the meeting.

The program was started with the inaugural speech by Rafiqul Alam, Executive Director of DUS. Mr. Alam welcomed the participants in the meeting. He also played the role of moderator in the meeting.

Dwip Unnayan Shangtha took this project with the view to undertake activities for poor island community to build their capacities on development information sharing along with to enable them to use various media tools namely print, radio and internet to minimize their sufferings in livelihood options at Hatiya of Noakhali district.

The outcomes of the project will be exhibited as showcase at GK3 meeting of Kualalampur, Malasia and at AMARC.

In the meeting on behalf of DUS, BNNRC and OWSA three individual presentations were made by Mr. Shamir Chandra Adhikari, Program coordinator, Dus, AHM Bazlur Rahman, Chief Executive Officer of BNNRC and Ms. Geeta Malhotra, from OWSA respectively in the meeting.

Mr. BMM Mozharul Huq said we have supplements the ICT initiatives with the government efforts to reduce the damages of disaster. The alarming signals should be given in due time and these should be understood by the community people, he commented.

Dr.Fakhruddin Ahmed
Hon'ble Chief Adviser
Non-Party Care Taker Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh.

Subject: Regarding Permission to Operate FM based Community Radio as Pilot basis in Bangladesh.

Dear Sir,
Heartiest congratulations on your taking over the charge of the Hon'ble Chief Adviser of Non-Party Care Taker Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh.

We believe our Community Media sector in Bangladesh will become stronger and more vibrant under your able and dynamic leadership.

BNNRC (Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication) is a national networking body working for building a democratic society based on the principles of free flow of information, equitable & affordable access to Information, and Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D) of remote & marginalized population.

The proliferation and awareness regarding Community Radio is on the rise all over this world, especially in the developing regions. Many countries in the region, including India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Philippines, have demonstrated the great potential of local Community Radio as a hub for information and knowledge for development, learning and entertainment.

In Bangladesh, the Community Radio movement is at a very promising yet critical stage. Different NGOs civil society groups, journalists, intellectuals and other concerned entities of this country are putting continuous and ardent effort in order to come up with a Community Radio friendly regulatory environment through appropriate government regulations.

Just last year, a National Consultation on Community Radio was organized by MMC, BNNRC, YPSA, VOICE, FOCUS supported by UNESCO, UNDP and UNICEF with the goal of identifying course of action on how to proceed for introducing Community Radio in Bangladesh. At the end of that consultation, the participants agreed to put more focused effort on Community Radio piloting and the enactment of the draft Broadcasting Act 2003.

But till now, no pilot or field study in any scale has been commenced in Bangladesh as far as the case of true participatory based Community Radio service is concerned. BNNRC is interested in doing so.

The member organizations of BNNRC already have the human resources, contents and organizational motivation needed to initiate, manage and sustain any pilot Community Radio project.

Their plan is to initiate any Community Radio project addressing the issues related with Fulfilling Millennium Development Goals (MDG), World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Action Plan, PRSP and knowledge based Society.

In this circumstance, your kind permission to operate a/ couple of FM based Community Radio project(s) will surely open a new era of community media liberalization/ knowledge based community media in Bangladesh.

We strongly believe, your kind involvement and permission regarding this effort will add a new and positive dimension towards the liberalization of Community Radio in Bangladesh.

With best regards,


AHM Bazlur Rahman-S21BR
Chief Executive Officer, Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC)
and, Member- Strategy Council
UN- Global Alliance for ICT and Development (UN GAID)


cc:
To
Barrister Mainul Hosein
Adviser
Ministry of Information
Bangladesh Secretariat
Dhaka 1000


To
Mr. Md. Didarul Anower
Secretary
Ministry of Information
Bangladesh Secretariat
Dhaka 1000

The central goal of BRAC University - Institute of Educational Development (BU-IED) is to build professional capacities and strengthen the knowledge base to develop competencies to address the challenges in educational development in line with national aspirations and priorities in Bangladesh and the region.

Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) is a national networking body working for building a democratic society based on the principles of free flow of information, equitable & affordable access to Information, Communication Technology (ICT) for remote & marginalized population.

The proliferation and awareness regarding Community Radio (CR) is on the rise all over this world, especially in the developing regions. Many countries in the region, including Nepal, Sri Lanka and Philippines, have demonstrated the great potential of local community radio as a hub for information and knowledge for development, learning and entertainment.

In Bangladesh, the CR movement is at a very promising yet critical stage. Different NGOs civil society groups, journalists, intellectuals and other concerned entities of this country are putting continuous and ardent effort in order to come up with a Community Radio friendly regulatory environment through appropriate government regulations.

Just last year, a National Consultation on Community Radio was organized with the goal of identifying course of action on how to proceed for introducing Community Radio in Bangladesh. At the end of that consultation, the participants agreed to put more focused effort on Community Radio piloting and the enactment of the Broadcasting Act.

But till now, no pilot or field study in any scale has been commenced in Bangladesh as far as the case of true participatory based Community Radio service is concerned.

Bangladesh NGOs Network for radio and Communication(BNNRC) and BU-IED are interested in doing so.

A number of other NGOs/ Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) will be co-organizer the day-long Dialogue on Piloting Community Radio in Bangladesh.

With this objective in mind, we have decided to organize a Day long Strategic Dialogue on Piloting Community Radio in Bangladesh during the time of Caretaker Government in 2nd week of January, 2007


Our main and immediate objectives are the following:

- To obtain support of the Ministry of Information to initiate and trial a Community Radio
Project;

- To pilot Community Radio initiatives in selected locations to test its feasibility; and

- To move forward the legislative process of enacting the Bangladesh Broadcasting Act, 2003(Draft) under consideration by Government of Bangladesh, as a policy framework for Community Broadcasting.
The final schedule and detailed information (time, venue etc.) of this event will be sent to you at a later date.

Dhaka, 23 January 2008. To orient the Bangladeshi partner NGOs of Cordaid (a Dutch international NGO) on community managed disaster risk reduction (DRR) a training workshop is being held at CCDB-HOPE Training Centre at Baroipara, in Gazipur from 20-24 January 2008.

At the end of the workshop the participants are expected to develop a growing common understanding of philosophy, principles, and practices/processes of community managed disaster risk reduction working framework. They are also expected to develop confidence collectively through mapping out what needs to be done at organization and community levels to shepherd the process of DRR with the end view that community will manage DRR initiatives and action plans.

In a country ravaged by multiple hazards with an ever increasing frequency enhancing DRR capacities is extremely relevant. Twenty-six participants from 13 Cordaid partner NGOs are attending this training workshop. The workshop is being facilitated by Nova Consultancy Bangla.

The advisory council has given final approval to a new right to information law 2008, meant to increase accountability of government institutions and establish good governance, the chief adviser's press secretary said Saturday.

"The Right to Information Ordinance 2008 has been finally approved," Fahim Munaim told reporters after a cabinet meeting at the CA's office. "As per the ordinance the related officials will supply primary information on issues including arrests and releases within 24 hours."

The ordinance keeps a provision for fines up to Tk 5,000 if the concerned official does not provide the proper information. The cabinet on June 18 approved the ordinance provisionally. The caretaker government has said the ordinance is meant to ensure people's right to information and to increase accountability of government institutions and curb corruption and establish good governance.

RTI law analysis is coming very soon from BNNRC.

07 December 2008

To
Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmad
Honourable Chief Advisor
Non-party Caretaker Government
The People’s Republic of Bangladesh
Tejgaon, Dhaka-1215

Subject: Regarding final approval of Community Radio within the term of the non-party Caretaker Government to ensure development and good governance.

Dear Sir,
Greetings from Bangladesh NGOs’ Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC).

For your sincere consideration, Ministry of Information formulated Community Radio Installation, Broadcasting and Operation Policy 2008. Having prepared a complete pro-people policy for the first time in Bangladesh, the People’s Republic of Bangladesh has already been widely appreciated by local, national and international bodies.

In order to commemorate the day of the community radio policy announcement, we have taken initiative of observing 12 March every year as Community Radio Day in a befitting manner.

Soon after the policy announcement, from 18 March 2008, Ministry of Information has published and broadcast advertisement asking application for community radio set-up. Moreover, National Regulatory Committee, Technical Sub-Committee and Central Monitoring Committee have been formed in accordance with the community radio policy.

At the same time, in order to facilitate the whole process BNNRC set up a national help desk on community radio in Dhaka. A total of 200 applications were submitted to the Ministry by the community radio initiators from the whole country.

Later in a meeting of the National Regulatory Committee on Community Radio Installation, Broadcasting and Operation held on 15 July 2008, 116 out of 200 applications have been primarily selected and sent to the Home Ministry and Bangladesh Tele-communication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) respectively for the security certificate and frequency allocation approval.

We have come to know that the approval for frequency allocation from BTRC has already reached Ministry of Information.

In the meantime, Community Radio Academy has been established with the 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. We believe that if the approval is given just now, at least 50/60 community radio stations can run smoothly with their adequate skills, readiness and human resources in the rural level across the country.

Therefore, we humbly request you to pay a kind consideration in issuing final approval for community radio broadcasting within the tenure of the non-party caretaker government to ease the access of the rural communities to information and to ensure good governance and development.

Shaher Khali Rural Knowledge Center of Mir Sarai Upazila in Chittagong. Established by Young Power in Social Action(YPSA) in cooperation with Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication

Kawkhali Rural Knowledge Center,Established by Young Power in Social Action(YPSA) in cooperation with Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication.

Day long workshop on "Information and Communication Technology for Development(ICT4D)" jointly organized by The Sankalpa Trust and Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication(BNNRC), of Patherghata upazila in Borguna district.

Mirza Shahidul Islam Khaled, Director of Sankalpa Trust first delivered his welcome speech in the workshop.Then the key note paper was presented by ICT4D specialist Mr. Golam Nabi Jewel.

Coastal Rural Knowledge Center of Charfassion Upazila in Bhola Island. Established by Coastal Association for Social Transformation Trust(COAST Trust)in cooperation with Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication.

Rural Knowledge Center (RKC) review meeting with RKC Manager at BNNRC Secretariat in Dhaka.

In order to expedite journalism with the technological empowerment, in collaboration with Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) Bangladesh ICT journalist Forum (BIJF) arranged an awareness program for the local journalists of Chittagong on March 10, 2006. “Transform the digital divide into digital opportunities through rural knowledge center” was the theme with a focused discussion on ICT journalism.

The rationales of organizing this workshop was of four folds – a) to inform the media people of the role of ICT for fostering development b) to gather first hand knowledge through field visit of different ICT4D initiatives c) to ensure media exposure for overcoming different impediments, and d) to brainstorm for finding out alternative ways under ICT4D so that rural people can bring and sustain positive changes in their life and livelihood.

Dissemination of information has been a problem until now but the intervention of information and communication technology (ICT) has revolutionized communication and information sharing, believed experts.

The workshop conducted by M A Haque Anu, President BIJF and assistant editior of monthly Computer Jagat, was attended by M. Nasirul Haque, former president of Chittagong Journalists Association and Chief Reporter of the Daily Shuprabhat of Chittagong, AHM Bazlur Rahman, Chief Executive Officer, BNNRC and Md. Arifur Rahman, Chief Executive, Young Power in Social Action (YPSA).

At the workshop Mr. Arifur Rahman talked about YPSA’s establishment o Youth Community Multimedia Center (YCMC) at Sitakund targetted for community development through information dissemination over electronic media. ‘Our target has been towards the young people and we are providing them a series of technological mediums.’ He also emphasized on the misconception of technology that usually referred to a computer only. “Technology is a vast concept with a series of mediums,’ he explained.

Sitakund is a disaster prone area. ‘ we have the plans for developing an early warning system through community radio in near future’ Mr. Rahman promised. Besides, YCMC, YPSA also enlightens the world of blind people through brail education on computers. With the use of a technology called the Digital Accessibility Information System (DAISY), around 25 people from YPSA’s center at Chittagong have had computer literacy.

Chief Executive Officer of BNNRC Mr. Bazlur Rahman informed the journalists that Chittagong is their first point of penetration with ICT for Development. He regretted the fact that despite so many channels now coming up in the country, the government has restricted the access for the private television channels in grassroots level. ‘It is only 1.10 lakhs of population that we can reach concretely through electronic media because of capital enrichment.’

Mr. Rahman further added that BNNRC has an immediate plan to introduce more than six similar centers like YPSA through out the country very soon. ‘The NET for Journalists’ has been an initiative from UNESCO. BIJF and BNNRC have the plan to introduce a Bangla version of the book.

‘BIJF has plans to hold such workshops frequently across the country with journalists aiming to take technology as a priority’ Mr. Anu promised.

‘Let it be the reader, viewer of listener, media enrolls technology,’ said ABM Hasan, representative of BIJF. ‘We should be self sufficient as journalists with all the equipments and technological knowledge,; he believed. He requested the local journalists of Chittagong for the inclusion of technology that could help them in their daily profession.

A daylong workshop organized by Speed Trust in collaboration with Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) in Speed Trust tanning centre for TV channels, National daily Newspaper’s, and local news paper journalist’s in Barisal.In workshop what is Information and communication technology, relationship between ICT and development and how ICT help PRSP to achieve the goals of MDG etc is discuss. Here talk about the ICT related problems and opportunities in Barisal . 25 local news paper journalist’s take participate in that meeting. The workshop is facilitated by the Chairperson of Bangladesh ICT Journalist from Mr.Nazrul Haq Anu. Chief Executive officer (CEO) of BNNRC Mr. AHM Bazlur Rahman helps him about this.

Major Activities Done So Far: A brief on contribution made so far by BNNRC in view of the above vision, mission and activities are as follows;

Amateur Radio: During June 2000 the network has organized a training with funding support from OXFAM-GB especially to create amateur radio operators in coastal areas, accordingly two NGO leaders succeeded to pass the examination and commissioned two amateur radio stations both respectively in Barisal and Chhittagong. After formation of BTRC (Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission) a stagnate situation has created and for last three years no amateur radio examination have held and no new license has issued. BNNRC continuously pursed the chairman of BTRC gave applications and hearing. Very recently a committee has been formed to conduct the examination, dates have been fixed, and BNNRC chief executive officer is also the member of the committee. Amateur Radio examination held during 12-15 January 2004. BNNRC invite application from nationwide and prepare 200 people by 4 days of course in cooperation with FAIRS (Foundation for Amateur Radio International Service) and COAST. Inauguration and concluding have done in such a way that it has got coverage in national media and thereby got popularity in general media. Promoting Amateur Radio is fundamental to build alternative emergency communication system especially in remote areas, international friendship without interference from government and promotion of research in the sector.

Community Radio: BNNRC is the member of South Asia media group promoted by UNESCO, the network has participated in Kotmale-Srilanka workshop in this regard during 2001. In country the network has given a presentation on community radio in an inter ministerial meeting organized by the Ministry of Science and Technology. The network is also cooperating with MMC (Mass Line Media Center) another leading organization involved in media and with other organizations in this regard to have a favorable policy environment.

Government is going to prepare a national broadcasting policy i.e., considering to allow non-government private radio especially FM through a concrete policy (although it has already done for BBC and VOA). BNNRC is pro active to pursue the government to allow FM especially to NGOs and community. i.e., in this respect private, public and community sector should have a fair play like what is happening in other countries, even in SAARC countries.

Preparation of Government Participation in World Information Summit: BNNRC was the member of the government committee on preparation of participation in the summit. The network has cooperated with the Ministry of Science and Information Technology for a seminar on the issue to inform the nation and media on the issue during December 2002.

Training NGOs Toward Alternative Communities Using ICT and Networking: During March 2004, BNNRC has organized the training course with a funding from WACC. Participants from 35 prominent and interested NGOs has participated in the course, objective of the course to promote alternative thinking and initiatives in respect of in community media.

Speed trust works with ICT for Development for a long period in southern part of Bangladesh, epecially at the coastal areas. National media personnel, who are working in capital city of Dhaka, visited Speed Trust project at Bauphal, Patuakhali, in cooperation with Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication(BNNRC)on 21 July, 2006 with a view to shairing process of knowledge and information of hgrassroots level livelyhoods.

At the end of the visit they appraised about the project and published in differnt local and National newspaper.