DHAKA: Twenty-nine more applicants have received security clearances for setting up community radio stations in the country.

“Government will issue the licenses to the applicants within a month”, source in the ministry of information told banglanews24.com.bd Thursday.

Aminul Islam, a Joint Secretary of the ministry said, “Some 180 applications were submitted in the ministry in 2008.”

Government has already issued licenses in two phases in May to setup 14 community radio stations in different areas, he added.

Government has primarily selected 116 companies out of 180 applications for further scrutiny to the security agencies.

Source said, “29 more applications have got clearances from the security agencies and the ‘National Regulatory Committee on issuing of Community Radio licenses’ will now recommend the authorities concerned to issue the licenses.”

Government in collaboration with various stakeholders has put together a set of guidelines called ‘community radio installation, broadcast and operation policy’ in 2008.

As per guidelines, the main objective of community radio is to provide livelihood related information to the rural communities in an understandable way. The community radio will cover different areas including agriculture, education, health, disaster, women and child issues, market price and services for the community people.

The 14 companies who got licenses earlier are: Young Power in Action (YPSA) for Sitakunda, Chittagong, Nalta Community Hospital for Satkhira, LDRO for Bogra, BRAC for- Moulivi Bazer, Barandro Community Radio for Naogaon, Proyas for Chapai Nababgonj, CCD for Rajshahi, Srizoni for Jhinaidhah, EC Bangladesh for Munsihigonj, MMC for Barguna and RDRS for Kurigram, Sundarban Community Radio for Koyra (Khulna), ACLAB for Telnaf (Cox`s Bazer) and Agriculture Information Servics (AIS) for Community Rural Radio for Amtoli (Barguna).

Among those, AIS is the government organization.

BDST: 1935 HRS, JULY 8, 2010