The World Betar Day-2024 was celebrated in Rajshahi on Tuesday amid much enthusiasm and in a befitting manner.
Marking the day, officials and artists of Regional Station of Bangladesh Betar accompanied by many other members of the civil society took out a rally from the Betar Complex premises.
The rally paraded some of the city streets with banners and festoons projecting the significance of the day and ended on the Betar premises. Betar authority has also arranged a discussion highlighting the importance of Betar towards improving living and livelihood conditions of the grassroots population. This year's theme, 'Radio: A Century of Informing, Entertaining, and Educating', encapsulates the enduring value of radio in news dissemination, entertainment, education, and as a public safety tool during crises.
Commissioner of Rajshahi division Dr Dewan Muhammad Humayun Kabir addressed the discussion as the chief guest, while Regional Director of Bangladesh Betar Hassan Akhter was in the chair.
Additional Commissioner of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police Rashidul Hassan, Regional Engineer of Bangladesh Betar Momtaz Parveen and Regional Controller of News Umme Kulsum also spoke.
Deputy Regional Director Sheuly Rani Bashu welcomed the participants.
Commissioner Dr Humayun Kabir said the Betar has been playing a vital role towards reaching the emergency messages to the remote areas people.
He also said the role of the betar is also important in terms of entertaining the grassroots people.
In this country, the prime role of radio is to give a voice to people who do not have access to mainstream media and do not have the opportunity to express their views on their community development.
In his remarks, Rashidul Hassan said the major tasks of radio is to promote the right to communicate, expedite the process of informing the community, assisting the free flow of information and acting as a catalyst of change and therefore there should be no exceptions locally.
He urged the betar Authority to air qualitative and pro-people programmes so that the target group of people can derive its total benefits.
The discussion was followed by a cultural function featuring the traditional folk culture.
