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Alert

AMARC welcomes community radio breakthrough

(AMARC/IFEX) - Montreal, April 26, 2010 - The World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC) saluted today the approval of 12 community radio licences in Bangladesh as one of the most important breakthroughs for community broadcasting in South Asia.

This is a first step towards what should become a strong and much needed communication for development sector in Bangladesh. AMARC expressed its support to the Bangladesh NGO Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) for its constant advocacy for Community Radio. AMARC encourages the Government of Bangladesh to accelerate its response to dozens of other similar requests by civil society organisations.

The Ministry of Information of the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh has approved 12 Community Radio Initiators to install and operate community radio in Bangladesh for the first time. It accepts Community Radio with the objective to provide livelihood related information to the rural communities on agriculture, education, health, disaster, women and child issues, market prices, services, and other issues.

Steve Buckley, president of AMARC, applauded the constant advocacy work by the BNNRC and other development actors in Bangladesh. AMARC Asia Pacific and the AMARC global network stressed their interest to continue their support for the next steps of community radio development in Bangladesh.