Community Radios Promoting Right to Information

On November 8, 2017, during a lovely afternoon, a room in Press Institute of Bangladesh was filled with young dreamers who have been serving their communities with information and guidance through community radio shows.

The RTI Award 2017, jointly organised by Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication and Press Institute of Bangladesh, was held to recognise some the best community radios based on their contribution in promoting Right to Information Act-2009 and its implementation at the community level.  The programme was supported by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, Bangladesh.

The event kicked off with a seminar on promoting Right to Information through community radio where AHM Bazlur Rahman, CEO, BNNRC, spoke about the purpose of the programme and why community radio is needed. The event also included Chief Guest Professor Dr Golam Rahman, Chief Information Commissioner, and special guests Dr Najmul Hossain, Country Representative, Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom and Shah Alamgir, Director General, Press Institute of Bangladesh.

The event awarded six community radios in two categories. The first, second and third prizes in the category of "Radio Magazine" went to Naznin Naher, Programme Producer of Community Radio Borendra; Shahana Parveen, Station Manager, Community Radio Padma; and Boshir Ahmed, Station-In-Charge, Community Radio Chilmari, respectively.

Farhad Hossen, News Producer, Community Radio Sarabela; Abida Sultana, Programme Producer, Community Radio Lokobetar; and Noyon Ali, Assistant Producer (Programme & News) bagged the first, second and third prizes respectively in the category of "Investigative Radio Reporting".

The Grand Jury included Dr S M Morshed, Media and Communication Specialist, and other prominent members of Media and Journalism.