The New Nation - Internet Edition

Elections to be held as per roadmap, CEC reiterates

Chief Election Commissioner Dr ATM Shamsul Huda
addressing the view exchanging meeting with the
representatives of Peshajibi Somonnoy Parishad, an
organisation of professionals, at the Election Commission
office on Thursday. Focus Bangla

Staff Reporter

Chief Election Commissioner Dr ATM Shamsul Huda yesterday firmly stated that the forthcoming elections would be held within the stipulated time at any cost.

"There is no valid reason to doubt the elections taking place in due time," he said while addressing an opinion exchange meeting with the Peshajibi Somonnoy Parishad (PSP), a forum of different professional groups, at the election Commission office.

The CEC said the Commission must do it as what he said this is their promise to the people of the country.

"I do not know why there is a doubt that the elections will not be held by the end of December this year," he said adding, "Do or die, we will complete the polls."

Referring to the recent meeting with the Chief Adviser, the CEC said the he (Chief Adviser) also said that there is no turning back.

"Personally me and the Commission get puzzled as to why there should be doubt on holding elections by December," he said. The CEC also mentioned his meet with the Army Chief at police parade recently saying the army chief also repeatedly asked if everything is all right, being done timely.

He said there are now part of government and, here, the Commission is not getting any indication that there is any dillydallying about elections or will not be done in time.

"We are right on schedule and we know that entire credibility depends on holding the elections within 2008," he said.

Shamsul Huda said the election schedule would be declared after completion of the voter list with photographs.

The PSP delegation expressed their apprehension to the EC that the elections might be delayed due to the EC step of delimitating the constituencies.

In reply to them, the CEC said if the delimitation activities create obstacles in holding the polls in time the Commission has its alternative.

"We have many plans. We will adopt another if one does not work. But the elections must take place, we are saying to assure you (PSP leaders) again," he said.

He hoped that the draft of dialogue with the political parties would be completed within the current month.

Peshajibi Somonnoy Parishad put up 15-point suggestions and recommendations, including announcing the war criminals ineligible to contest the polls.

A 12-member PSP delegation, led by its convenor Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, Editor of Bangladesh Observer, met the CEC on holding of free, fair and neutral elections.

The delegation suggested lifting the state of emergency immediately, starting dialogue this month and publishing specific timetable and agenda of the dialogue to end the first phase of the talks.

About the PSP's suggestion for utilising transparent ballot boxes during in elections, CEC Huda said the EC decided positively on it and was waiting just to determine the process of acquiring the boxes.

Regarding the PSP suggestion not to link up the dialogue between political parties and the government with the dialogue between the political parties and the EC, the CEC said the Commission could recommend the CA on it.

On EC's delayed in holding political dialogue, he said the elections could not wait for holding dialogue with only one party-meaning the split BNP.

We have to work simultaneously. One thing is linked up to another like the second-round dialogue with the political parties and with the BNP, he said.

He said after completing the dialogue laws will have to be made by March, as per election roadmap. "Thereafter, the political parties will be registered by June," he said.

Hatirjheel project: No structure legal or illegal to be spared

LGRD Adviser Anwarul Iqbal visiting the site of the
'Integrated Development of Hatirjheel area including
Begunbari Khal project' after inaugurating the construction
work on Thursday Banglar Chokh

UNB, Dhaka

LGRD Adviser M Anwarul Iqbal Thursday categorically said the government would not spare any structure, legal or illegal, while implementing the 'integrated development of Hatirjheel area including Begunbari Khal project'. "Be they legal or illegal, we won't leave out any structure during the implementation of the project," he said at a press briefing at the temporary army camp at Hatirjheel on the eve of starting construction work of the 'integrated development of Hatirjheel area including Begunbari Khal project'.

Replying to a question, the Adviser said the BGMEA authorities had failed to show any approved plan for their building project in the area. He informed that a part of the structure of Sonargaon Hotel would also come under demolition. But, replying to a query, he said he was not aware if the expanded structure of Sonargaon Hotel was built on Hatirjheel legally or illegally.

To implement the Hatirjheel project, the government had to demolish 11 existing structures. On October 8 last year, the government approved the project costing Tk 1473.59 crore.

The primary objectives of the project is to ensure protection of required area for storm water retention, to restore the degraded environment of the Hatirjheel area and to connect an important east-west missing link between two major arterial roads.

US rivals fight for momentum

Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton: US voters facing
race-gender dilemma.

Agencies

US presidential hopefuls Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are battling to claim the Democratic momentum after neck-and-neck Super Tuesday polling.

Clinton said her campaign was "full speed ahead" after she clinched several big states in the biggest day of voting yet in the party nominations battle. Obama said there were "many more rounds to fight", but he was "less of an underdog" than he was two weeks ago.

Republican John McCain, now well ahead in his race, called for party unity.

Correspondents say Mr McCain now looks unbeatable, but the Democratic race could continue until the party convention in August where the nomination will be sealed.

Mrs Clinton said she was "very pleased" with her victories in eight states, including delegate-rich New York and California, in the Super Tuesday contests. Both she and Obama, who won 13 states, claimed to have had the edge in the day's results.

Clinton claimed to have won "most votes and most delegates", while Obama said he had clinched "most states and most delegates".

Saturday: Louisiana and Washington state (multi-party); Nebraska (Democratic); Kansas (Republican)

Sunday: Maine (Democratic)

Tuesday: Maryland, Virginia and Washington DC (multi-party) Party officials were still, however, carrying out the complex calculations that translate Tuesday's votes into numbers of delegates to back the respective candidates at the party convention.

Obama hailed an "extraordinary night" and a "big victory" for his campaign. "We feel confident that the wind is at our back," said Obama. "I have great confidence this campaign is gaining momentum every day." He said Clinton remained the favourite because of the enormous familiarity people have with her.

"But you know we're turning out to be a scrappy little team," he said. Clinton confirmed that she had loaned her campaign $5m of her own money, in order to be competitive against Obama, who had raised more money in the month of January.

Counting continues in one Democratic contest, New Mexico, where Clinton is in the lead. In terms of delegates captured, Clinton was only marginally ahead, under the Democrats' system of proportional distribution.

Both are still well short of the 2,025 delegates needed to secure the party's nomination.

Overall, voters were choosing 42% of delegates on Super Tuesday.

The BBC's North America editor Justin Webb points out that Clinton won in states such as New York, New Jersey and California that will be major Democratic targets in the presidential election in November.

In contrast, he says, Obama's wins were in states such as Georgia and North Dakota, which are not such key prizes, raising legitimate questions about the long-term viability of his campaign. McCain called for unity in the Republican party after a series of poll victories that correspondents say seriously wounded his main rival, Mitt Romney.

McCain enjoyed wins in the big states of California and New York, as well as Illinois, Oklahoma, New Jersey, Missouri, Connecticut, Delaware, and his home state of Arizona.

24 states holding simultaneous contests to help decide the Democratic and Republican presidential nominations About 40% of each party's delegates - who will choose the candidate - are up for grabs

Key states electing large numbers of delegates include California, New York and Illinois But five wins for former Baptist minister Mike Huckabee, who was polling a distant third but is popular with evangelical Christians, backed up the widely held view that McCain lacks support from conservatives in his own party.

Some key conservative figures have refused to vote for McCain in the presidential election if he wins the nomination.

Speaking on Wednesday, McCain said: ""I do hope that at some point we would just calm down a little bit and see if there are areas that we can agree on for the good of the party and for the good of the country."

Both McCain's rivals, Huckabee and Romney, have vowed to fight on.

Our correspondent says the presidential race is living up to its billing as the most unpredictable in living memory.

He says a Republican nominee may emerge earlier on, but one who lacks party support, to face two Democrats who both have enthusiastic party backing but could spend many more months fighting each other.

Govt urged to take steps for clemency of six Bangladeshis in Saudi Arabia

Staff Reporter

Family members of the six Bangladeshis convicted in Saudi Arabia yesterday urged the caretaker government to take immediate steps so that the Saudi government would pardon them and allow them to come back home alive.

They made the appeal at a press conference at the office of Crime Reporters Association of Bangladesh at yesterday.

They said a total of 14 Bangladeshis were accused of killing an Egyptian national in Saudi Arabia and eight of them were condemned to death. However, two of them managed to flee back to Bangladesh.

After conviction, the eight convicted Bangladeshis appealed to the higher court in Saudi Arabia seeking mercy for life.

Those condemned to death are Mamun, 25, son of Mannan Sarkar, Shafiqul, 23, son of Khowajuddin and Masud, 25, son of Shamsul Haque of Tangail, Faruque, 38, son of Jamal Uddin of Comilla, Suman, 25, son of Abdul Hye of Kishoreganj, Masud Rana, 25, of Brammanbaria and Motiur Rahman, 28, son of Shahid Khan of Faridpur.

However, the identity of another convict could not be ascertained.

Parents of the convicted Bangladeshis said that their sons intercepted the Egyptian victim on April 28 last year while he was stealing electric cable from Al Tuek Company in Riyadh where the Bangladeshis used to work.

Being resisted, they said, the Egyptian national along with his associates attacked the Bangladeshis triggering a clash in which the

Egyptian national died.

"I appeal to get my son back. I request the Chief Adviser of the caretaker government, the Foreign Adviser and other authorities concerned to take initiatives for bringing them back alive," Jamal Uddin, father of convict Faruque, said in an emotion-choked voice with his hands folded.

Achia Begum, mother of Suman, said they heard that a foreign ministry team, led by its secretary, would visit Saudi Arabia within a week.

"Please, take necessary steps during the visit to return them to us," she said.

"We appeal to the both Saudi and Bangladesh governments to do something to save the lives of our sons. We call upon the Saudi government to allow our sons to return home alive," she said with tears rolling down her face.

SEC cautions small investors ahead of margin rule coming into effect

UNB, Dhaka

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Thursday cautioned small investors of possible risk in investing borrowed money in the capital market.

The stock market watchdog also advised investors not to dabble in highly risky investment market by selling all their belongings like gold, savings certificates and pension fund, as small investors had been the worst sufferers in the 1996 market crash.

"The lenders will realise their money with interest through selling the investors' shares during the market correction period. But the investors will have to count the losses," SEC chairman Faruq Ahmad Siddiqi said at a press conference at the SEC.

The SEC rang the alarm bell as the re-fixed margin rule comes into effect from the next trading day, Sunday, allowing merchant banks or portfolio managers to provide investors with loans to the extent of their investment (1:1).

"It'll not be prudent to invest borrowed money taking high risk as one will have to repay the loan with interest," Siddiqi said, adding that the risk is even higher for the marginal investors.

Replying to a question, he said the regulatory authority reintroduced the rules, including margin rule and netting facility, to increase the fund flow to the capital market.

As the netting facility came into effect last week allowing investors to buy shares immediately after sales deal, the turnover started increasing and hit record highest Tk 372 crore on Tuesday. Stockbrokers projected that fund flow would increase further as the margin rule becomes effective.

The SEC chairman said the new issues of Jamuna oil and Meghna Petroleum took away around Tk 1,000 crore from the market while more issues like Titas Gas would hit the market soon to affect the liquidity position.

"We'll have to reconsider whether the market has the absorption capacity for more issues," he said, apparently in response to the stockbrokers' confidence, as repeatedly voiced, that the market has huge liquidity to absorb more issues.

Whether the SEC had lifted restriction amid demonstration by the investors, Siddiqi said: "The capital market is not a place for demonstration, it's a business spot."

About the market prospect this year, the SEC chairman said the market has a better prospect and some challenges too with the possibility to double the market capitalization due to signs of new issues coming while turnover would rise to few times more.

Hannan Shah re-arrested

UNB, Dhaka

Outspoken BNP leader Brig (rtd) ASM Hannan Shah, adviser to party chairperson Khaleda Zia, was yesterday arrested again shortly after his release from Narayanganj jail.

Brigadier Hannan was held under the Emergency Power Rules, police said, charging him with breach of the rules after his release.

The fresh case was filed with Fatullah police station. Complainant Bhuiyan Mahbub Hasan, OC of Fatullah thana, alleged in the case statement that Shah's party supporters, after his release, created panic in the area, creating traffic jam, by breaking the emergency rules.

"To maintain law in the area, we arrested him under the section 16(2) of the EPR," he said.

UNB Narayanganj correspondent adds: Hannan Shah later said at the court that he was forced to board a microbus by law-enforcers who, identifying themselves as members of the Special Branch (SB), took him to the court.

The law-enforcers produced Hannan Shah in the court of chief judicial magistrate Golam Mahbub from where he was sent back to jail, rejecting his bail petition.

On January 30, the High Court, upon a habeas-corpus writ petition, declared illegal the detention of Hannan Shah under the Special Powers Act and ordered the government to release him forthwith if not wanted in any other case by the police.

Shah was at first arrested from his new DOHS residence at Mohakhali in the capital On May 14 in an extortion case. He secured release and came out from Kashimpur jail on July 22.

On November 7, he was arrested again on charges of breaking the Emergency Power Rules through his party activity.

SCBA vows to protect Constitution

UNB, Dhaka

The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) in a meeting yesterday vowed to remain vigilant as in the past to protect the Constitution and laws of the land.

In a resolution, the SCBA said the lawyers along with other bar members across the country, irrespective of their party affiliations, would continue the ongoing movement for maintaining the supremacy of the Constitution, the rule of law and dignity of the judiciary.

The meeting took stock of the prevailing situation in the highest judiciary.

Presided over by SCBA vice-president Abdul Mannan Khan, the meeting was addressed, among others, by Rafique-ul Huq, Golam Arif Tipu, Shahara Khatun, Zoinal Abedin, Humayun Hossain Khan, M Enayetur Rahim, Bashir Ahmed, Nurul Islam Sujan, Jahangir Hossain Selim, Awsafur Rahman and Motahar Hossain Saju.

Newsmen barred from entering Titas Gas office

UNB, Dhaka

Media men were yesterday debarred entry to the graft ridden Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company office in the city.

Task Force had unearthed huge unearned wealth of Titas Gas officials. It was informed on February 5 that wealth of Tk 400 crore returned by 136 dishonest officials would be deposited to the government coffer.

Restricting entry to the office Titas Gas security officials told the newsmen "formalities of checking the documents of ill-gotten wealth of the corrupt officials have not been completed." They said Task Force would inform the media when scrutiny of documents is completed.

After close investigation, the Task Force in November last year had asked 136 officials of Titas Gas to surrender their ill-gotten wealth.

Attach top priority to curb poverty: President

BSS, Dhaka

President Professor Dr Iajuddin Ahmed yesterday called for attaching top priority to eradicating poverty to ensure safe growth of children and build a prosperous nation.

"We know, yesterday's children are the helmsmen of the nation in the days to come. It is undeniable that poverty and malnutrition are the key-hindrances on the way towards evolving the country's children. So, we have to put highest degree of priority to eradicating poverty to build a prosperous nation," he said.

The President said this while addressing at the golden jubilee celebration of Bangladesh Shishu Kallyan Parisad (BSKP) at Osmani Memorial auditorium here yesterday morning.

Primary and Mass Education and Women and Children Affairs Adviser Rasheda K. Choudhury addressed the function as special guest.

Chairman of Best Aviation M Haider Uzzaman, President of BSKP Shah Mohammad Alamgir and general secretary Nurul Karim Chowdhury Jinnah also spoke on the occasion.

Military Secretary to the President Major General Mohd Aminul Karim, Secretary Md Sirajul Islam and Press Secretary Abdul Awal Howlader were also present. The President said a large section of people of the society are not being able to get out of the circle of malnutrition because of poverty. Not only the children, but their mothers have also been suffering badly from malnutrition, he added.

"Now, we have to undertake all possible measures towards exploring the unlimited potentials of our children and ensure friendly environment for their smooth growing," he added.

Underscoring the need for involving the children into creative activities side by side of providing them with education for total unfolding of the children, Professor Iajuddin said adding "We have to find out a way to undertake a comprehensive programme, so that both the children from urban and rural areas could get equal opportunity to grow up."

Describing the ideal citizen as the precious wealth of the nation, the President said humane qualities like patriotism, fraternity, patience, benevolence and respect to others have to be evolved in the minds of the children so that they could be grown as responsible citizen from their childhood.

He hoped that that all conscious people of the society including guardians, teachers would come forward to ensure welfare of the children.

He also urged the wealthier section of the society and different organisations to come forward to ensure welfare of the children.

Referring to the various steps, the government has undertaken to the development and welfare of the children, he said the government is working relentlessly to implement the UN charter on child rights.

Professor Iajuddin also laid emphasis on cooperation from the people and non-government organisations side by side with the government in checking children from engaging in hazardous labour.

He said the role of family is very important in developing the children as they grow up in a family and learn moral values from the members of their family.

He also called upon the children to involve in creative activities, learn social values, reflect those in all sphere of their life and develop themselves as skilled and worthy citizens.

Later, President Iajudin enjoyed colourful cultural programme performed by the members of BSKP.

Post-flood-Sidr rehabilitation: Donors pledge $650m so far

UNB, Dhaka

Foreign donors have so far pledged US$ 650 million for the reconstruction and rehabilitation works of recurrent floods and the Sidr affected areas of Bangladesh, out of estimated US$ 4 billion required for the purpose in 15 years.

The pledged amount included Asian Development Bank's US$ 120 million, and US$ 60 million each by Japan and UK.

"We're trying to mobilise the rest of the resources," ERD secretary Aminul Islam Bhuiyan told UNB yesterday, immediately after signing three separate IDA loan agreements with the World Bank worth US$ 122.20 million at the NEC conference room. World Bank country director Xian Zhu signed the agreements on behalf of his organisation.

"The fund will be used for quick rehabilitation of the damages by Sidr," Zhu said.

Replying to a question, he said the joint assessment team of Bangladesh and donors estimated that around US$ 4 billion would be required for rehabilitation and reconstruction of the flood and Sidr devastation.

In accordance with the agreements signed today, US$ 70 million would be reallocated from four ongoing World Bank-financed projects for the purpose of reconstruction and rehabilitation of infrastructure and losses caused by recent floods.

Social Investment Project US$ 25.0 million, Municipal Service Project US$ 25.0 million, Rural Transport Improvement Project US$ 20.0 million and another US$ 52.2 million would be used through reallocation within seven ongoing projects for restoration.

Dubai Fund buys Queen’s property

AFP, London

A property fund backed by an investment arm of the Dubai government bought prime west London property from the Queen's portfolio, the monarch's property managers announced on Wednesday.

The Crown Estate, which manages Queen Elizabeth II's real estate, said in a statement on its website that it had sold the Metropole building and 10 Whitehall Place to a consortium led by International Hotel Investments (IHI) for 130 million pounds (174 million euros, 255 million dollars).

One of IHI's principal shareholders is Istithmar, the investment arm of state-owned tourism company Dubai World.

"IHI's bid stood out from a strong field of competitors with a proposal to refurbish the building rather than rebuild behind the existing facade," Charles Gardner, the head of office portfolio at The Crown Estate, said in the statement.

"We were impressed by IHI's track record and are confident that they will restore the once grand Metropole Hotel to its former glory."

The Metropole was constructed in the 1880s and was once one of the capital's most trendy hotels, but was requisitioned by the government during World War I, and became the home for Ministry of Defence offices following World War II.

It has, however, been vacant since 2004.

According to The Crown Estate, the 400,000 square feet (37,150 square metres) of available space will be refurbished into a 283-room five-star hotel, along with luxury apartments, overlooking the River Thames.

"IHI and its principal shareholders t were selected as having the vision to meet the challenge of restoring this once grand hotel to its original use, in a manner most sympathetic to this building's architectural features, townscape setting and history of the site," The Crown Estate said.

The Crown Estate says its portfolio has a value exceeding seven billion pounds, and owns several high-profile properties in prime central London locations such as Regent Street and Regent's Park.

Its revenues from its assets are paid to the finance ministry.

Attack on police: 68 Carmichael College students arrested

Teachers of Rangpur Carmichael College brought out a
silent procession yesterday protesting the attack on
teachers and ransacking the properties of the college.
Banglar Chokh

BSS, Rangpur

A total of 68 students of Rangpur Carmichael University College (RCUC) and 21 others were arrested from various places in the district during the past 24 hours till 4 PM yesterday.

The students were arrested for their alleged involvement in yesterday's attacks on police and ransacking property and houses on the RCUC campus and its adjoining areas.

The other arrested are cheats, alleged criminals, muggers, listed terrorists, drug traffickers, absconding accused, warrantees and thieves.

The police also recovered Phensidyl, locally-produced wine, ganja, narcotics, lethal weapons and other illegal goods during the raids, sources said.

The 15 students, belonging to Islami Chhatra Shibir, were shown arrested under the Emergency Power Rules as video footage showed their direct involvement in the attacks on policemen, ransacking property and houses.

The students are: Mahbub-e-Robbani, 28, Ferdous, 21, of Kurigram, Ashraful, 22, Zulfikar, 19, Al Mamun, 21, Azizul, 21 and Mohidul, 21 of Rangpur, Mahabub, 21, Shahidullah, 24, and Shameem, 24, of Gaibandha, Mossarraf, 20, of Thakurgaon, Shaheen, 26, Al Fazul, 20, and Rezwan, 19, of Nilphamari and Masud Rana, 23, of Madaripur districts.

The other 53 arrested students were arrested under Section- 151 of the Penal Code for their alleged involvement in creating anarchy, attacking police, ransacking buildings and property of the RCUC.

Of them, Kotwali police arrested 71 persons, Gangachara four, Badarganj one, Mithapukur five, Pirganj four, Pirgacha two and Kawnia police arrested two persons during the period.

All of the arrested, including the students, were sent to jail when police produced them before various courts at Rangpur this afternoon, the sources said.