The discussions, involving a four-member panel and invited audiences of around 150 members of the public, will take place in nine major towns and cities across the country.

"This year's Sanglap programme is designed to create a platform for open discussion on major socio-political issues of the day as the election season is getting close," said Sabir Mustafa, head of the Bengali Service, at a press conference at the National Press Club in the city yesterday.

The current debate over electoral reforms and the forthcoming elections are likely to make the new series of the discussions lively and informative, he added.

Kamal Ahmed, senior producer, Bengali Service, Walliur Rahman Miraz, producer of Bangladesh Sanglap series, AKM Fazlul Haq, audience relations executive of BBC World Service, and Esrarul Haq, executive director, sales and marketing, Channel i, were also present.

The new series of Sanglap will be divided into two parts the first running from September to the middle of October, and the second running from November to the end of December. The second part will be a joint venture between the BBC Bengali Service and the World Service Trust.

The 'Sanglap' programmes will be broadcast by BBC Bengali Radio on Sundays, and telecast by Channel i on Mondays. Channel i will repeat the programmes on following Sundays.