In the aftermath of the devastating August flood that submerged parts of Comilla and Feni, Bangladesh’s communication infrastructure was crippled. With power grids down, cell towers offline, and the internet inaccessible, relief efforts were at a standstill. Amid this chaos, a group of amateur radio operators, or “hams,” became the unsung heroes of the rescue mission. Equipped with only their handheld radios and a deep commitment to service, these hobbyists set up a makeshift communication network in Feni’s Deputy Commissioner’s office. For days, they tirelessly relayed critical messages between the Bangladesh Army, first responders, and volunteer teams scattered across the flooded areas. Their work enabled the coordination of life-saving rescue missions, ensuring that aid reached those stranded in the most remote and inaccessible locations. Through the static of their radios, the hams kept hope alive when everything else had failed.
Amateur radio operators, or hams, are hobbyist radio enthusiasts who use radio equipment to communicate with each other over various radio frequencies, including HF, VHF, and UHF, within the allocated amateur radio band.
Although hams are meant to use their privilege of operating radio equipment such as base radio or walkie-talkie, more commonly known as handy in the amateur radio community, for research, test, and DXing purposes, more often than not, they are the first responders in many disasters where communication infrastructure has broken down completely.
Take the August flood in the southeast part of Bangladesh, for example. Parts of Comilla and Feni were submerged. Electricity grids had failed, cell phone towers were out of commission, and the internet was disrupted. Communication was non-existent.
Bangladesh Army, Navy, Air Force, NGOs, first responders, volunteers, individual rescuers, and relief aid were able to reach near the Feni city. However, they didn’t have any mode of communication to establish coordination between the teams or the authorities. As a result, search-n-rescue and relief aid were halted. This is where amateur radio operators in Bangladesh stepped in.
Hams rushed to Feni with the intent to establish a radio network that served as the hub of the entire chain of communication in this crisis. One of their main priorities was establishing communication between the Army and the Deputy Commissioner of Feni to ensure order in the rescue mission. Once the communication network was in action, the emergency response team, consisting of ham operators from all over the country, set up their station in the DC office and remained active around the clock to coordinate flood interventions.
A few other control stations were set up in Feni & Comilla, with a couple more in the Scout Headquarters and East-West University in Dhaka. The teams in Dhaka and Feni conveyed rescue requests from various sources, forwarded news between the relief teams, and ensured these communications were relayed to the Bangladesh Army, first responders, and volunteers fractions. A handful of the hams even went along with several Army troops to ensure the rescue team could reach the control room and the control team could convey rescue requests to the team on the field.
This is not the first time amateur radio operators voluntarily offered their expertise and equipment for disaster management. Khulna flood control team, which also consisted of hams, scouts, and other volunteers, established communication during the recent flood in the lowlands. After the government overturns, the traffic management on the roads became a mess. Amateur radio operators helped in this crisis by maintaining the traffic in key spots in Dhaka along with the student volunteers and ensured reliable connection amongst the groups in different spots.
The amateur radio operators community has stepped up and played an important role in several disasters, including Cyclone Remal, the Dhaka Bangabazar fire, floods, etc. Despite being a key stakeholder of recent disaster response teams and paving their way by establishing failproof communication, the road to becoming an amateur radio operator is nothing less than a struggle by itself.
To become a ham or amateur radio operator, one must obtain an amateur license first. BTRC issues these licenses in Bangladesh, and acquiring this license is definitely no easy task. To even apply for this license, the applicant must be at least 18 years old and have basic technical knowledge of radio equipment and an SSC or equivalent certificate. If a person meets the basic criteria, he can apply for the evaluation exam. A preliminary exam is held to test the applicant’s technical knowledge on subject matters like radio frequency, electrical circuits, band allocation, etc. Upon passing the evaluation exam, the applicants are issued an Amateur Radio License Exam certificate by BTRC. They are then prompted to apply for a demand note for the license and a call sign. BRTC receives these applications and issues a demand note for the call sign registration and yearly amateur radio equipment fee. Upon paying the fees, applicants can finally apply for the amateur radio license.
At this point, the Special Branch of Police conducts a verification to validate the applicant’s information and ensure the applicant has no ulterior motives regarding the use of the radio equipment within the country. Once the applicant passes the verification, he is issued a provisional license that allows him to own one handy transceiver or walkie-talkie, one UHF/VHF base radio, and one HF radio that he can use in land, vehicles and maritime vessels. He is also issued a call sign, often of his choosing.
A Bangladeshi amateur radio operator’s call sign would be something like S21KPC, S21ED, or S21H.
These call signs start with S21, followed by one, two, or three letters. The initial “S” on the call sign is assigned to Bangladesh by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The following “2” indicates that Bangladesh falls into the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) region 2.
If you have ever wondered what the “S2-XXX”-like codes you see written on every Bangladeshi airplane mean, it is the assigned call sign for the aircraft. But to specifically identify an amateur radio operator from Bangladesh, a “1” is put after “S2” to complete the country-specific code. The other 1-3 letters after “S21” are an operator’s personal identifier.
In operation, all the letters and numbers correspond to the NATO phonetic alphabet. So when an amateur radio operator introduces himself or refers to another ham, he would say “Sierra Two One Kilo Papa Charlie” instead of “S21KPC”.
Once a ham is issued a call sign like this, he is allowed to use radio equipment within the HF/VHF/UHF band as per the National Frequency Allocation Plan by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission.
However, even with a call sign and license, there are a few more steps left before call sign holder Ham can actually own a radio transceiver. Upon receiving his provisional license, he must apply for an NOC to import a radio device that complies with the BTRC guideline. There is another round of verification before an NOC is issued. Once issued, an applicant can import a transceiver and clear it from customs or the relevant authority by presenting the NOC.
The complexity of the process and the inherent fear of dealing with government offices are some of the main reasons why Bangladesh has such a small number of amateur radio operators despite having one of the largest populations in the world. But hams from all over the country are optimistic that seeing their importance, involvement, and usefulness in recent disasters, authorities will be more proactive in promoting amateur radio practice and issuing amateur radio licenses, call signs, and NOCs for the transceivers.
The role of amateur radio operators in disaster management has proven to be indispensable, especially in regions like Bangladesh, where natural disasters frequently disrupt communication infrastructure. Their dedication, resourcefulness, and expertise in establishing communication networks during crises have saved countless lives and facilitated the smooth coordination of rescue efforts. Despite the challenges faced in obtaining an amateur radio license in Bangladesh, the growing recognition of their contributions is encouraging. As the country continues to face an increasing number of disasters, it is imperative that the government and regulatory bodies support and streamline the process for obtaining licenses and equipment. By doing so, Bangladesh can ensure that its amateur radio community is well-prepared to respond to future emergencies, bridging communication gaps when all else fails. With continued support and recognition, these unsung heroes will continue to play a vital role in keeping the lines of communication open in the most critical moments.
Aurthor: Rifat Ahmed