Initiated in 2006, the UNESCO Dhaka CI Unit has since played a significant role in developing a free, independent and pluralistic media environment. Just into its seventh year the Communication and Information (CI) programme of UNESCO Dhaka Office has already made its mark in the country’s communication sector. At the policy level the major breakthrough came in 2009 when the government established Community Radio policy.  UNESCO led the advocacy campaign backed up by some NGOs and members from the civil society and media. Though in a smaller way UNESCO also played a role in seeing through the passage of Right to Information law in 2008. The Government has also initiated the process of framing a national broadcasting policy for which UNESCO has been lobbying since 2007. As for capacity building, UNESCO in collaboration with Bangladesh Election Commission has developed a guideline for the massmedia in election coverage just months before the parliamentary elections in 2008. This was the first of its kind and was widely acclaimed. In 2011 UNESCO produced a guidebook on disaster reporting and is all set to train 100 journalists in 2012. Besides UNESCO has provided equipment and organized a series of training to facilitate smooth take off of the 14 community radio stations that have gone on air over the last 10 months.

Amongst all UN organizations, UNESCO has the unique mandate to promote freedom of expression and universal access to information by word and image and to maintain, increase and diffuse knowledge. In Bangladesh, UNESCO’s Communication and Information (CI) Unit has focused on three broad areas: media capacity building, establishing media-friendly laws, and facilitating equitable access to information and knowledge however in Bangladesh since the year of inception CI programmes undertaken so far can be identified into two broad categories – Advocacy for media-related policy reforms and capacity building of journalists. Initiated in 2006, the UNESCO Dhaka CI Unit has since played a significant role in developing a free, independent and pluralistic media environment.

The UNESCO CI sector is at the core of building knowledge societies and empowering citizens to fully exercise their rights and to benefit from their fundamental freedoms, enhancing development and democracy.

UNESCO celebrates World Press Freedom Day on 3 May to promote freedom of expression and freedom of the press all over the world. In Bangladesh, UNESCO marks the day by honouring journalists for their professional excellence and courageous work. The UNESCO angladesh Journalism Award for investigative reporting was introduced in 2008. The objective is to encourage investigative journalism and to enhance the professional skills of journalists in general. 

The Bangladeshi media are generally poorly skilled when it comes to reporting disasters.  They are unaware of the shift in the focus of disaster reports, from highlighting human misery and relief operations, to reducing risks. While the government and donor communities are funding initiatives to train threatened communities on how they may reduce risks of hazards, the media are not yet equipped to take a cue from it. Media that recognises the importance of risk reduction, as well as the skills to engage both the public and the government can clearly make a big difference. With this objective, UNESCO Dhaka initiated the capacity building project. Within 2012 initial target is to train 100 journalist on Disaster Reporting.

The country's first community radio named Lokobetar has begun test transmission in the district town of Barguna to build public opinion on development issues like democracy, good governance, human rights, anti-corruption, health and women empowerment.  Mass-Line Media Centre (MMC), a development organisation, with financial and technical support from Unesco, set up the radio station, which has been on trial since May 27, 2011 and is now have started full-fledged transmission from  mid-June on different development issues.  With the support from UNESCO the 2nd Community Radio has stated operation by a local partner Center for Communication and Development in late 2011 with the same objective and both has received highly appreciation from the community people. 

UNESCO Dhaka office has developed a “Digital Media Directory of Bangladeshi Journalists”, which is the first ever digital media data base for the journalist community and media professionals. This directory is linked with the UNESCO Dhaka office’s homepage and accessible to any journalists around the country. This unique website has increased people’s access to information and users easily can find a media contact details or journalist easily. Through this website users can inform the media about their grievances and complaints and this effortlessness is expected to encourage more and more people to access media to express their opinions.

CI unit of UNESCO Dhaka has worked with different Ministries and divisions of Bangladesh Govt. in many projects in particular CI has developed strategic partnership with Ministry of Information, Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Election Commission, Bangladesh National Commission for UNESCO (BNCU), and development partners including UN, multi-lateral and bilateral agencies, as well as NGOs such as Center for Communication and Development  Bangladesh, Massline Media Centre (MMC), Bangladesh Center for Development, Journalism & Communication (BCDJC) , Management and Resources Development Initiative (MRDI), Centre for Development Communication  (CDC) and Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC.