The World Radio Day-2022, a day to celebrate radio as a medium, will be observed in the country as elsewhere across the globe tomorrow highlighting the importance of radio for ensuring free flow of information.
The objective of the day is to raise awareness about the importance of radio, facilitate access to information through radio and enhance networking among broadcasters with this year's theme "Radio and Trust".
On the eve of the day, President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages greeting all concerned, including officers, employees, technicians and audience of the Bangladesh Betar and wishing all programmes of the day a success.
In his message, the President said Bangladesh Betar is the largest and traditional mass media in the country. Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra, as the second front during the great War of Liberation in 1971, played an important role during Liberation War, he said, adding that as a proud inheritor of Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra, Bangladesh Betar is the main source of information, learning and entertainment of the people across the country.
Besides, Bangladesh Betar is playing role important role against dowry and adolescent marriage, he said, adding that it also playing role in expanding women education and creating mass awareness about various social issues and natural calamities.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her message, termed this year’s theme of the day- "Radio and Trust" – as time befitting due to Covid-19 pandemic and said radio has gained public trust by disseminating information about the pandemic, guidance and also the government’s measures taken to tackle the pandemic.
Since its inception on December 16 in 1939, Bangladesh Betar has been playing a significant role as the strongest medium, she said, adding, "It also played an important role during our War of Liberation in 1971".
“Broadcasting the historic 7 March Speech of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on March 8 ignoring the restriction of the then autocratic rulers, Bangladesh Betar was always with the people in encouraging people during Liberation War and above all in achieving the Independence,” she added.
She said the Awami League government played role in flourishing mass media in the country. During the 1996-2001 tenure Awami League government gave approval to satellite television first time, she said, adding that the present government has also taken steps for flourishing mass media and ICT in the country.
“We have enacted Right to Information Act 2009 and established Information Commission and formulated National Broadcasting Policy 2014,” she said, adding that the government launched ‘Bangabandhu Satellite-1’.
The President and the Prime Minister said, in the new world, Bangladesh Betar has built a bridge between the people and the government through awareness, information and programs on prevention of child marriage and violence against women, prevention of terrorism and militancy, awareness of dengue and corona epidemics and disasters.
Both of them are happy to know that Bangladesh Betar celebrated the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman through organizing various programmes throughout the year on the occasion.
They hoped that Bangladesh Betar would continue its efforts to spread the ideals of the Father of the Nation and the spirit of the great liberation war among the youth. (bssnews.net via Mike Terry via wor io group)
