Rules for Radio and Television in Bangladesh.

The responsibility of Radio and Television as powerful mass media is immense. The four principal objectives of programmes on these media shall be dissemination of information, spreading of education, motivation of the people with a view to involving them in development activities and provision of pure entertainment. All the programmes will be cast in the light of the above objectives, and towards that end Radio and Television shall adhere to the following guidelines: .

1. All programmes shall be based on the basic principles of the running of the state as well as on the policies and ideals pursued by the government.

2. Realistic steps shall be taken to inform and educate the people to create socially and politically conscious patriotic and responsible citizens of the nation.

3. Bangladeshi nationalism shall be promoted and highlighted with a view to defending the sovereignty of Bangladesh, political stability and economic advancement.

4. Efforts shall be made to enrich and reflect the culture of Bangladesh drawn from the heritage of traditional Muslim culture. The different religious and regional cultural streams shall also be put in the proper Bangladeshi national perspective and shall be projected with equal prominence.

5. Unconditional respect shall be shown to an religious sentiments. Malicious comments, ridicule or disparaging remarks shall not be permitted against people belonging to any religion, race, caste or creed, and communalism shall be avoided at all costs.

6. Elaborate discussions and illustrated programmes shall be put out highlighting especially the voluntary participation of the people in different development activities. Attempts shall be made to establish the dignity and necessity of manual labour. Programmes would stress that no physical work for the welfare of self or society is loathsome and no vocation or profession less dignified than others.

7. Attempts shall be made to put out pure entertainment programmes after proper evaluation. With a view to enriching Bangladeshi culture, traditional art and craft shall be positively sought out from all over the country and the craftsmen shall be introduced to the people through the programmes to further encourage them.

8. To elevate the state language of Bangladesh to its deserved level, Radio and Television shall set examples of standard presentation and pronunciation to be reflected especially in the newscasts and other programmes.

9. Most of the programmes shall be put out in Bangladeshi. All news, foreign films and music shall be broadcast in accordance with comprehensive programme guidelines. Slight relaxations may be made, if necessary, in the case of exchange programmes.

10. Regional dialects may be used in the drama and other folk culture programmes but they shall not be allowed to abuse or ridicule any region.

11. People shall be encouraged to participate in the movement to build a self-reliant Bangladesh by increasing production in industrial and agricultural sectors. Peasants and workers shall be particularly motivated to this end. Different programmes shall be chalked out to reflect the hopes and aspirations of the common people.

12. People shall be kept aware of the consequences of population explosion and persuaded to take effective measures to stop that trend. The birth-control programmes shall be made with enough care and having regard to the tastes, norms and nuances of local culture.

13. Special programmes shall be put out for mass literacy campaigns.

14. People shall be motivated to develop local industry and evolve indigenous technology.

15. The youth community shall be given proper guidance to utilize their energy and creative thinking.

16. Participation of the womenfolk along with their male counterparts in all fields of national life, including political, economic and social, shall be promoted.

17. Special programmes shall be put out for children to impart education, social values and to attract them to the lives of national heroes and Islamic religious leaders.

18. In pursuit of the development of morality, emancipation from social taboos and curbing of all anti-social activities, programmes shall adequately articulate all means and measures adopted for the eradication of all kinds of social corruption.

19. Programmes shall not contain any indecent remarks.

20. No political statements on the opinion of any party shaIl be allowed to be broadcast either through the regular programmes or through paid commercials.

21. Honesty, discipline, patriotism and modesty in both personal and social life shall be highlighted in all the programmes.

22. Respect for the law shall be highlighted.

23. All government employees and the people in general shall be made aware of the need to preserve national resources.

24. No programmes shall be shown containing scenes of torture to human beings or animals.

25. The programmes shall eulogise the role of the genuine freedom fighters during the wars of liberation.

26. All scenes of indecent kissing must be avoided while showing local and foreign films or programmes. No programmes of terrorism, violence or other contents contrary to Bangladeshi cultural values shall be put out. In the case of advertisements, no commodity shall be undermined while promoting another. Commercials shall not contain any obscene words or scenes.