Community Radio

Community Radio

Radio Nalta is a first generation community radio and one of the 14 Community Radios permitted by the Information Ministry of the Government of Bangladesh. The location of Radio Nalta station is in Nalta of Kaliganj Upazilla of Satkhira District at the South-East of Bangladesh. Radio Nalta achieved Government permission for transmission on 22 April, 2011. In cooperation with Climate Change and Health Promotion Unit (CCHPU) Nalta Hospital and Community Health Foundation runs Radio Nalta.

One of the major objectives of this community radio is to serve and benefit that community and also to broadcast special programs on public health of coastal area, climate changes, its affects, problems and solution as the community is on coastal area and very under develop. People of this area are suffering and facing a lot of problems of climate changes.

As per Government rule Radio Nalta Station covers a range of 17 km from it’s centre. Maximum limit for transmitter power is 100 watts and the antenna tower’s height from ground level is 32 meters.
Radio Nalta broadcasts everyday from 8 am-11 am in morning and 2 pm-7pm at evening. Along with other programmes it broadcasts programmes produced jointly by Climate Change and Health Promotion Unit (CCHPU) and Nalta Hospital and Community Health Foundation Radio Nalta 2 hours and 35 minutes everday. Among these programmes ‘Apnar Daktar‘ is broadcasted live everyday.  Paribesh o Shastha Sangbad (Environment and Health news), programme on climate change, weather forecast and disaster management suggestions named ‘Nirapad Jibon‘ and a part of ‘Fashaler Math‘ programme named ‘Pratidin Mather Shasthya‘ are the other programmes produced jointly by Climate Change and Health Promotion Unit (CCHPU) and Nalta Hospital and Community Health Foundation.

The Community Radio project will contribute to the cultural development of the target area due to its focus on local concerns, aspirations, and the interactive nature of its programming. It will reflect the attitudes and believes, norms and culture, thought and ideas of the community people. It will serve the community through the radio program which is made by the people who live in the frequency area. Community Radio will become popular because it says about community by their own voice and brings forth the problems and desires of the community people to the authority. Community Radio will broadcast programs highlighting the local culture and considering the cultural sensitivity. The local culture will be preserved by practicing and will be protected from being lost in the history books.
There will be no negative environmental impact while implementing the project activities. Rather the project is designed in such a way that it will contribute to the management and protection of the environment. Community Radio will broadcast awareness raising programs on issues like safe drinking water and sanitation, water resource management, forestry, poaching and illegal logging, bio safety through bio-diversity conservation, climate change adaptation, disaster management, land degradation and reduced soil fertility, appropriate use of pesticides in agriculture fields, protecting coastal ecosystems and coral reefs from pollution and over fishing, plantation, gardening, global warming etc. These programs are expected to bring change in the behavior of the community people and contribute to their habit development which will ultimately result in a sound and safe environment.
NHCHF  aim to ensure women participation in the project across the board. The project will encourage women to volunteer for working within the station as well as spreading word about its activities. The radio station will broadcast programs specific to women, maternal health, child care, educational etc. The programs will be targeted towards specific women communities and will be aired at specific times when women will be able to comfortably listen and absorb the messages aired.
Community Radio project will further enhance other existing projects of NHCHF in the project area. It will enhance the HIV/AIDS intervention services (HAIS) project through providing information and knowledge on health care, condom use, life skill and capacity building, psychological counseling etc.
It will notify the community about the disaster management and relief work services. It will aware the people about human rights and legal aid services. Besides, the project will complement the projects of other NGOs and government network that are operating in the area through broadcasting their project activities, outcomes, and future initiatives for the community people. These educative, cooperative, informative, and innovative programs/ efforts will contribute to reach the Millennium Development Goals.

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