The Bangladesh Community Radio Association (BCRA), with support from the UNDP Activating Village Courts in Bangladesh Phase III (AVCB) project, successfully implemented the initiative “Developing and Broadcasting Community Radio Programs for Promoting Gender and Inclusion in the Village Court System.”
The initiative used community radio to increase public awareness of the Village Court system, access to justice, gender equality and social inclusion, with particular attention to women, marginalized and vulnerable communities, persons with disabilities, indigenous groups and hard-to-reach populations.

Key Achievements

Through 14 participating community radio stations, the project achieved:

• 196 rebroadcasts of Village Court dramas
• 11,700 PSA and jingle broadcasts
• 30 phone-in live talk shows
• 280 magazine programmes
• 14 orientation sessions with 153 participants
• 8 Radio Festivals with 825 participants
• 420 community/listener feedback responses
• Estimated radio coverage of 1,821,004 people
• Approximately 2.63 million social media outreach through Radio Festival activities
The project also provided platforms for community members, experts, government representatives, women, youth and local stakeholders to engage in discussions on Village Courts, social justice and inclusion.

Community Engagement

The Radio Festivals created opportunities for direct interaction between community radio stations and local communities through awareness activities, discussions and participatory events. These activities helped bring information on Village Courts and access to justice closer to people at the community level.
Through locally relevant content and interactive programming, the initiative demonstrated the role of community radio as an accessible platform for promoting justice, inclusion and informed community participation.
Project at a Glance

Implemented by: Bangladesh Community Radio Association (BCRA)
Supported by: UNDP – Activating Village Courts in Bangladesh Phase III (AVCB)
Participating Radio Stations: 14
Drama Rebroadcasts: 196
PSA & Jingle Broadcasts: 11,700
Magazine Programmes: 280
Radio Festivals: 8
Festival Participants: 825
Community Feedback: 420
Estimated Coverage: 1,821,004 people

UNDP, in partnership with the Government of Bangladesh and the European Union, is implementing the Activating Village Courts in Bangladesh Phase 3 (AVCB) project to expand access to local justice for rural, poor, and vulnerable communities. Working with the Local Government Division (LGD) and the Bangladesh Community Radio Association (BCRA), the initiative supports the activation of village courts across the country, excluding the three Hill Districts.

Background of Community Radio: 19 community radio stations are broadcasting across hard-to-reach and coastal areas of Bangladesh, reaching over 8.23 million people, with 40-45% of the audience tuning in. Programs are developed in local languages, addressing community needs and national priorities. Managed by local youth, women, and social activists, these stations are vital platforms for inclusive communication. The Bangladesh Community Radio Association (BCRA) is the national coordinating body working to strengthen the community radio sector through advocacy, capacity building, networking, and partnerships with government, donors, and experts.

The specific objectives of this Project: The project aims to enhance the responsiveness of local authorities to justice needs by ensuring well-functioning village courts. It also empowers local people, especially women, the poor, and vulnerable groups-to seek justice and resolve disputes locally in a timely, transparent, and affordable way through 15 community radio stations across various districts.
The following activities are being conducted by each radio station to achieve the project goals:
2 radio dramas
1 jingle
1 public service announcement (PSA)

Area of Coverage: Under this program, 15 community radio stations are actively broadcasting in 15 districts across Bangladesh, focusing on raising awareness about local justice and the role of village courts. These stations serve as vital communication platforms in rural and remote areas, helping to bridge the information gap by delivering localized, culturally relevant content in local languages.

Results of the Project:
Awareness Raising: The project was effective in raising awareness about women’s rights and the role of Village Courts, particularly for marginalized women. It helped the participants gain a better understanding of how these courts operate and the services they can provide.
Engagement with Experts: The inclusion of experts such as District Managers, Union Parishad members, and social activists added credibility to the discussions and provided valuable insights that resonated with the audience.

Community Participation: The programs reached a significant audience, estimated at 1 million people, covering diverse groups including women, youth, indigenous communities, local leaders, and NGO representatives. This broad coverage indicates strong community engagement.
Inspiration from Personal Stories: A female panelist sharing real-life experiences greatly inspired the audience, making the discussions more relatable and impactful.
Informative Content: The topics discussed were relevant and informative, contributing to the broader goal of promoting gender equality and community justice.

Conclusion: The phone-in live programs hosted by 15 community radios have played a pivotal role in promoting awareness about Village Courts and empowering women, thereby contributing to gender inclusion in the justice system. By leveraging community radio’s unique reach, the AVCB project underscores the importance of accessible dialogue surrounding local justice. Continuous efforts to enhance participation, improve awareness, and streamline operations would be beneficial in furthering the objectives of the AVCB and achieving a more just and equitable society for all.

E-Learning Platform Link: https://lnkd.in/giyk6qJF

The BCRA Secretariat attended the “Second Partnership Dialogue on Early Warning and Disaster Prevention,” jointly organized by Bangladesh Television and the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) at the Bangladesh Television Headquarters in Dhaka. BCRA highlighted how community radios have been playing a vital role in emergency early warning dissemination, as well as during and post-disaster responses, in the coastal belt and all over the country. As Cyclone Remal hit Bangladesh, all nine coastal radio stations relentlessly broadcasted programs and supported people by providing information about cyclone shelters for people and cattle, and available emergency life-saving services offered by the government and other humanitarian organizations.

Mr. Humayun Kabir Khondokar, Senior Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting; Mr. Netai Chandra Dey Sarker, Director, Department of Disaster Management, Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief; Mr. Muhammad Abul Kalam Mollik, Meteorologist, Bangladesh Meteorological Department, Ministry of Defense; Ms. Syeda Tasmina Ahmed, Deputy Director General (News), Bangladesh Television, Ms. Natalia Ilieva, ABU Advisor External Projects, Global Manager WBU/UNDRR Media Saving Lives initiative, Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union-ABU, Mr. Syed Tarikul Islam, General Secretary, BCRA and CEO of Radio Naf, Ms. Sumita Rabidas, Cordinator, BCRA and a representative of Bangladesh Betar were present in the dialogue.

On 20th May, BCRA and Radio Pollikontho were pleased and honored to have been visited by very high-profile representatives from Telenor, Grameenphone, Plan International Norway, and Bangladesh. During the visit, BCRA highlighted how community radios are creating a remarkable impact on indigenous people, tea garden workers, marginalized communities, and ethnic minorities in Bangladesh. The project is about “Digital Inclusion: Safe Digital Space for Girls and Youth,” which has been coordinated by the Bangladesh Community Radio Association (BCRA) since November 2023, with eight community radios. The initiative aims to raise mass awareness about responsible behavior on online, online safety, combating cyber bullying, harassment, online scams, misinformation, and fake news.

During the visit, Mr. Sajjad Hasib, Chief Marketing Officer at Grameenphone, Rasna Hasan, Head of Strategic Projects and Partnerships at Grameenphone, and a radio listener named Argho participated in a phone-in live show.
Johan Martin, Director and Head of Sustainability at Telenor; Manisha Dogra, Head of External Relations and Acting Head of Governance and Sustainability in Group Sustainability at Telenor; Sharfuddin Ahmed Chowdhury, Head of Communication at Grameenphone, Kabita Bose, Country Director of Plan International Bangladesh; Alexandra Letelier, Advisor- YEE and Digital at Plan International Norway; Rasel Mia, Manager at Plan International Bangladesh, Mehedi Hasan, Senior Station Manager, Radio Pollikontho, Sumita Rabidas, Coordinator, BCRA and others respective colleagues were also present.