DHAKA, Feb 13, 2024 (BSS) - The state-run Bangladesh Betar today celebrated the World Radio Day-2024 through various programmes in the city, highlighting the importance of radio for reaching information and entertainment to the people.

This year's theme of the day is 'Radio: A Century Informing, Entertaining and Educating'.

Marking the day, a colorful procession was brought out from Bangladesh Betar premises with the participation of its officers, employees, artistes and technicians. Betar director general led the procession while it terminated reaching the Betar Bhaban in the city's Agargaon after parading the main streets.

Later, a discussion was organized on the Betar Bhaban premises in the afternoon. State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat addressed the discussion as the chief guest.

Senior Secretary of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry Md Humayun Kabir Khandaker and Head of Office and Country Representative UNESCO Dhaka Office Dr Susan Maree Vize spoke at the discussion as special guests with Bangladesh Betar Director General Rabindrashri Barua in the chair.

Additional Director General (Programme) of Betar Md Salah Uddin delivered welcome address at the function.

Later, the state minister enjoyed a culture function where artistes of Bangladesh Betar performed.

Earlier, on Monday, President Mohammed Shahabuddin 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.

The World Radio Day is celebrated on February 13 each year, honouring the enduring influence of radio as a medium that has informed, entertained, and educated audiences worldwide for over a century.

Radio has consistently played a vital role in disseminating information to the masses, particularly when other communication channels were inaccessible.

According to UNESCO, in an era marked by the dizzying speed of technological innovation and the rapid obsolescence of one shiny new platform after another, Radio is beginning its second century of service as one of the most dependable and widely utilized forms of media in the world.

"Radio, as a technology, science, means of communications and system of programming audio elements has roots all the way back to the 1800s... so it can be safely said that the medium is already well into its second century," said the UN body in a statement on its websites on the occasion of the World Radio Day 2024.

In the context of Bangladesh, radio transmission in the region now known as Bangladesh commenced in Dhaka on 16 December 1939 during British rule, as a part of All India Radio.

Initially, the station was located at the Nazimuddin Road in Old Dhaka. Its maximum transmission range was 45 kilometres. Leila Arjumand Banu performed on the first day of broadcasting.

After the territory eventually fell into Pakistani rule in 1947, the station in Dhaka became a part of Radio Pakistan. In 1954, broadcasting started in Rajshahi.

On 8 September 1960, the radio station was moved to a modern office in Shahbag with six professional studios.

More regional stations were opened in Sylhet in 1961, Savar in 1963, Rangpur in 1967 and in Khulna in 1970.

Radio played an important role during the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971.

On 26 March 1971, as the Pakistan Army took over the radio station in Dhaka, the Swadhin Bangla Biplobi Betar Kendra clandestine radio station was established in a two-storey building in Kalurghat, constantly broadcasting Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's call for independence.

The station was later renamed to Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra (Independent Bengal Radio Station). Because of heavy shelling, the station had to be relocated several times. It was first relocated to Tripura on 3 April, and ultimately moved to Kolkata on 25 May, from where it would broadcast until the end of the war.

On December 6, the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra was renamed to Bangladesh Betar, which ultimately replaced Radio Pakistan in Bangladesh. The radio broadcaster was renamed to Radio Bangladesh in 1975, but was reverted back to Bangladesh Betar in 1996.

Apart from Bangladesh Betar, currently, 22 commercial FM radios and 18 community radios are conducting operation in Bangladesh.