21 Apr 2020 Bangladesh: Community radio brings life-saving Covid-19 information to rural communities

WACC is surveying its community media partners on their response to COVID-19 and their needs to help keep the communities they serve informed and safe. Community media need your help! Please donate to the Community Media Rapid Response Fund.

What is Covid-19? How is it transmitted? What are the symptoms? How can you protect yourself from the coronavirus? What is quarantine? What services are available from the government? What can members of the community do? 

These are just some of the questions that 16 community radio stations and two online radio stations belonging to the Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC), are answering in their programs to help poor rural communities learn more about the Covid-19 pandemic.  

While answers these questions are easily within reach for those with access to the Internet and other community platforms, it’s not quite the same for millions of other people.

“It’s not easy to get information in hard-to-reach [areas] at the best of times, and we will continue to strive to make sure the needs of these communities are not forgotten,” BNNRC said on its website. 

Covid-19 related radio programs began on March 1 and are being broadcast daily in 16 districts, covering Rangpur, Rajshahi, Khulna, Barisal, Dhaka, Sylhet and Chittagong, and reaches about 6.8 million people. Programs are also uploaded on Facebook and YouTube.  

Community radio station in Sagor Dwip, in Hatiya upazila under Noakhali has been broadcasting news and programs on the Covid-19 pandemic. It has consistently played a role in informing communities about matters that affect their lives, and has been a lifeline during natural disasters. — by Staff

Photo above: Broadcasters from the Community Rural Radio Krishi Radio 98.8, a member of the Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC),  bring awareness of the Covid-19 pandemic to far-flung rural communities. By  BNNRC