Asia Pacific Region of the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters, AMARC-Asia Pacific has welcomed the recent decision of the Government of Bangladesh to approve 12 community radio licenses. This is the first time in the history of Bangladesh that community radio licenses have been approved. The approval follows the community radio policy introduced in Bangladesh in March 2008.
Welcoming the decision of the Government of Bangladesh Ashish Sen, Vice President for AMARC Asia Pacific has congratulated BNNRC and other civil society based actors, and policy & state level supporters for their unrelenting efforts for making this happen. “I am greatly encouraged by this latest development in the community radio sector of Bangladesh. This would augur well for the rest of South Asia as more skies could be expected to open up for community based airwaves”, he said. Likewise, Raghu Mainali, Vice President for AMARC South Asia has said that the approval of licenses in Bangladesh was long awaited and hoped for more licenses to be approved in near future. “We have been looking forward to this and would like to reiterate AMARC’s continued support to members and partners in Bangladesh for the development of community radio in that country”, he said.
Out of the 12 licenses approved on April 21st, 11 will be operated by civil society based organizations and one will be operated by a government agency. Earlier, AMARC International saluted the decision of the Government of Bangladesh for approval of the licenses.