Abbreviation BARL Purpose Advocacy, Education Region served Bangladesh | Formation May 20, 1979 Location Dhaka, Bangladesh | |
Type Non-profit organization | ||
The Bangladesh Amateur Radio League (BARL) is a national non-profit organization for amateur radio enthusiasts in Bangladesh. BARL is the national member society representing Bangladesh in the International Amateur Radio Union, which it joined in 1982.
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History
Amateur radio activities in East Pakistan were suspended during the war with India in 1965, and the ban on amateur radio activities remained in effect after Bangladesh achieved independence from Pakistan in 1971. The Bangladesh Amateur Radio League was founded on May 20, 1979 by radio enthusiasts and immediately began lobbying the government for approval of amateur radio operation in the country. Efforts to legalize amateur radio in Bangladesh would not succeed until 1991, when a new democratically elected government faced a telecommunications emergency during a major cyclone. Persuaded of the value amateur radio could offer Bangladesh society, amateur radio was legalized in the country, with many restrictions, on August 29, 1991. Amateur radio license examinations and license grants were suspended by the government in 2004. Representatives of the Bangladesh Amateur Radio League lobbied the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission to reinstate the examinations and licensing process, which was resumed on August 13, 2008.
Governance
The 2014 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Bangladesh Amateur Radio League took place on August 22, 2014 at Dhaka. Almost all of the members were present at the meeting, which concluded with elections of a new executive committee. Sumon Ahmed Sabir (S21SD) was elected President, Saiful Huda (S21SH) and Dr. Zahidul Haque (S21VA) were elected Vice Presidents, Rubyat Hasan Khan Ratul (S21RA) was elected General-Secretary, Sohrab Hossain Ivan (S21RV) was elected Assistant Secretary, and Mohammad Alam (S21AK) was elected Treasurer. Members at Large include Ataul Hakim (S21AZ), Tanvir Ahmed (S21TA), Md. Rashidul Alam (S21RM), Md. Mukul Hossain (S21MB) and Syed Shamsul Alam (S21ED).