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The Ganatantri Party on Thursday asked the Election Commission not to register the political parties who opposed the country’s War of Independence, particularly the Jamaat-e-Islami, and all religion-based political parties.
   The party also suggested reduction of the ceiling of election expenditure, relaxation of registration rules of political parties and reduction of the influence of black money and muscle power on the polls.
   The suggestions and demands came up when the leaders of Ganatantri Party met the election commissioners on the 3rd day of the EC’s ongoing dialogue on electoral reforms with political parties.
   The party supported the EC’s condition for party registration that stipulates that at least 33 per cent of the office-bearers in the party committees should be women.
   The party, in its written proposal, demanded introduction of transparent ballot boxes, but after the discussion its leaders said they would reconsider their demand.
   ‘Using transparent ballot boxes was a proposal of the 14-party alliance, so we will discuss it with our allies.
   We will have to take into consideration that it is costly,
   breakable and difficult to transport,’ GP president Nurul
   Islam told reporters after the meeting.
   The GP suggested reduction of the election expenses of a candidate to Tk 3 lakh from the existing Tk 5 lakh.
   The party also sought reduction of registration fees of political parties to Tk 1,000 to Tk 5,000 from Tk 25,000 proposed by the EC.
   Echoing his party’s opinion, Nurul Islam urged the EC to cancel Jamaat’s election symbol — scales — saying that this symbol was being used around the world as the symbol of justice.
   Nurul Islam differed with the proposed condition that the parties should have offices in half of the 64 districts and upazila headquarters and have a minimum of 1,000 members in each district and 200 in an upazila, and suggested relaxation of this condition.
   He suggested that the indigenous people be patronised and given preference in nomination by political parties for contesting the polls.
   The meeting was presided over by Chief Election Commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda, and election commissioners Muhammed Sohul Hussain and M Sakhawat Hussain were present on the occasion.
   The 10-member delegation of Ganatantri party was led by its president Nurul Islam, and general secretary Giasuddin Haider, Md Afzal, Barrister Aras Ali, Mahmudur Rahman, among others, were present in the meeting.

The distribution of national identity cards in the Khulna metropolis began Thursday morning after the completion of the electoral roll with
   photographs.
   The Jessore area commander, 55 Infantry Division GOC Major General M Rafiqul Islam, inaugurated the distribution of identity cards in a ceremony at the Khulna Museum as chief guest. The 88 Infantry Brigade commander, Brigadier General Nazmul Hussain, was special guest.
   The district administration organised the programme. Chaired by the deputy commissioner, Firoz Alam, the programme was also addr-
   essed by the Khulna divisional commissioner, M Yunusur Rahman.
   The works of electoral roll preparation began in the area on August 17 and ended on September 19.
   The total number of voters in the area is 3,91,403 on the new list; the number was 4,81,480 on the previous list, Khulna district election office said.

International Day of Peace will be observed today to promote peace and well-being for all the people of the world.
   Various organizations such as the World Peace Mission and the UN Association of Bangladesh have chalked up programmes on the occasion.
   In a message on the occasion, the UN secretary general, Ban Ki-Moon termed peace one of the humanity’s most precious needs. ‘It is also the United Nation’s highest calling.’
   ‘On this day, let us promise to make peace not just a priority, but a passion. Let us pledge to do more, wherever we are in whatever way we can, to make every day a day of peace,’
   he said.
   The day is also observed as a day of global ceasefire and non-violence, a 24-hour respite from the fear and insecurity that plague so many places.
   In observance of the day, the UN Association of Bangladesh will hold a symposium in the CIRDAP auditorium this afternoon. The foreign secretary, Md Touhid Hossain, will attend as chief guest.
   Other programmes of the association include discussion meetings and rallies, said a release.
   The World Peace Mission will hold a news conference in the office of the Crime Reporters’ Association of Bangladesh at 10:45am.

Declaration of five local dailies in Gaibandha were cancelled on September 17 for their irregular publication.
   The dailies are Sandhan, Jana Sanket, Protham Pata, Uttarbanga Sangbad and Highway.
   District administration sources said the five dailies had been published irregularly for long time. As a result, the district magistrate and deputy commissioner cancelled the declarations of the dailies according to printing presses and publication (declaration and registration) act of 1979 after performing all kinds of formalities, including show causes.
   The letters in this regard singed by district magistrate Quazi M Anwarul Hakim were sent to the authorities of the dailies officially.

The Pakistan high commissioner to Bangladesh, Alamgir Babar, handed over the shipping documents for 10,000 tonnes of wheat to the foreign adviser, Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, at the latter’s office Thursday.
   This shipment is a gift from the government and people of Pakistan in a brotherly gesture for the government and people of Bangladesh and reflects the special relationship that exists between the two countries, said a foreign ministry release. The shipment is expected to reach Chittagong port on September 28.
   The Pakistani high commissioner also handed over a cheque for Tk 1,05,700 to Iftekhar as contribution of the high commission to the chief adviser’s relief fund.
   The money was given by the officers and staff and the wives’ association of the high commission of Pakistan, the release said.

A Bangladeshi farmer was shot dead by the Border Security Force of India at Medenipur frontier village under Jibonnagar upazila in Chuadanga Wednesday night.
   Villagers said while Shafiqul Islam, 30, was guarding his aubergine plants, the BSF members of Kutikhali outpost fired two shots targeting him at about 10:00pm, killing him on the spot. They body was lying in the area as no one dared to take the body fearing BSF firing.
   They said the BSF men intruded into the area at about 8:00am on Thursday and dragged away the body.
   Local BDR commander Motahar Hossain said the BSF fired two shots across the border without any provocation. The BDR returned the fire but they said they were unaware about the death of Shafiqul at night.
   The BDR in a letter to their Indian counterpart strongly protested at the incident and demanded immediate return of the body.

A Bangladeshi cattle trader was shot dead and another injured in firing by Border Security Force of India on Jawrani frontier under Hatibandha upazila in Lalmonirhat early Thursday.
   The BSF also took away the body of cattle trader Abdur Rashid, 32, of Daikhowa Jawrani village under the upazila, to Indian territory. The injured trader Gopal Chandra, 25, of the village, was undergoing treatment at Rangpur Medical College Hospital.
   BDR sources said a patrol team of BSF opened fire on a group of Bangladeshi cattle traders when they went to no-man’s land for crossing the barbed wire fence.
   Of them, Rashid died on the spot and Gopal managed to flee from the border with profuse blooding.
   Lt Col Maqbul Quader, commanding officer of 31 Rifles Battalion in Lalmonirhat, told New Age that the BSF agreed to return the body of the trader after they sent a letter to them in this regard.