With an aim to improve the socio-economic condition of the poor and disadvantaged and ensure people’s right to information, BRAC Community Empowerment Programme has formally launched Radio Pollikontho, 99.2 FM, a Community Radio in Maulvibazar District in Sylhet Division, as an effective communication medium for improving people’s access to information and building awareness of the marginalized, especially women.

Radio Pollikontho is being broadcast from Chadnighat union in Maulvibazar within an area of 17 km around the station, covering around 400,000 people living within the broadcast range of the community radio station. The Community Radio has finished its test transmissions and formally went On-Air this January, 2012. It is being broadcast twice a day: 9:00 am - 11:00 am in the morning, and 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm in the evening in Maulvibazar District.

Radio Pollikontho, which is broadcasting programmes through education as well as entertainment, can serve as a sustainable platform towards ensuring people’s access and right to information. The radio will also promote local heritage and culture.

Radio Pollikontho’s Programmes are primarily being broadcast in the local dialect, with focus on women and children’ issues and development. The radio is increasing people’s access to information on various development issues and is running and producing programmes on matters such as women and children’ rights, law and our rights, agriculture, education, health, environment, disaster management, entertainment, resources and services from government and non-government organizations, history, local heritage and culture, among others. Additionally, Radio Pollikontho currently has 769 Listeners’ Clubs for Women, Children, Youth, and Mixed Group of Men and Women.

Community radio is an inexpensive and popular medium for disseminating content, which is popularly being used in many countries of the world. Community Radio is a radio which is for the people, by the people, and of the people. In addition to providing content, community radio aims to enable the active participation by the community members it is serving. It specifically focuses on the active participation of its listeners and also tries to ensure access to information by all. The successful implementation of community radio for fostering socio-economic development campaigns in countries around the world further establishes the potential of community radio’s outreach in Bangladesh. In Mozambique, a community radio network of stations is effectively supporting its Ministry of Health’s health awareness campaigns. In Brazil, community radios are supporting the government and civil society on key social issues. Again, in Indonesia, community radios are playing a critical role in disaster preparedness and improving basic health services to women and children. Even in the neighboring countries of India and Nepal, community radios have been successful in bringing socio-economic issues of their communities to the forefront.

Although Community Radio has become very popular in many parts of the world, it is a relatively new concept in Bangladesh. It is hoped that, with the facilitation of BRAC Community Empowerment Programme and the active participation of the local people, Radio Pollikontho will make significant contribution towards increasing people’s access and right to information, help establish Digital Bangladesh, as well as promote local identity and culture.