The New Nation - Internet Edition

EC invitation to reformists for dialogue: HC rejects Khaleda’s writ: I’m legitimate acting Secy Gen: Hafiz, BNP denied justice: Delwar

Staff Reporter

A High Court Division Bench of the Supreme Court yesterday dismissed the much-talked about writ petition filed by detained BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia challenging legitimacy of the Election Commission's letter inviting the party's Acting Secretary General instead of Secretary General to the dialogue on electoral reforms.

The BNP landed in a leadership-controversy on November 5 last year when the Election Commission, invited Maj (Retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed, the Acting Secretary General of its reformist faction, ignoring Khandker Delwar Hossain, whom the former Prime Minister appointed the Secretary General expelling the long time BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan minutes before her arrest last year, to participate in electoral dialogue sponsored by the EC in October-November the same year.

The Division Bench comprising Justice Mirza Hussain Haider and Justice Mamnoon Rahman delivered the judgment in a jam-packed courtroom, sparking a sharp reaction among pro-Khaleda anti-reform party activists and leaders, who gathered outside the room.

The verdict sealed the fate of the writ petition. The High Court observed that internal disputes in a political party does not come under the Court's purview.

The High Court further ruled that there was "no illegality" in the EC's action (sending invitation to Hafiz) for dialogue.

The High Court discharged its rule issued earlier, saying the writ was not maintainable on various grounds.

In its rulings, the High Court observed that the Court in its constitutional jurisdiction could not deal with a disputed question of facts involving internal dispute between factions of a political party.

Citing the long-settled principle of law, the Court noted that in its constitutional jurisdiction it should exercise restraint in matters involving policy issues, particularly when there is a lack of judicially manageable standards. "Therefore there was no reason for the Court to interfere in exercise of jurisdiction under the Constitution (of a constitutional body like the EC)."

Terming the EC's action as policy decision, while inviting different political parties for dialogue on electoral reforms ahead of the general election, the Court observed that the matter does not come within the purview of writ jurisdiction for scrutiny.

It observed that EC's holding dialogue with political parties is not governed by any rules and regulations. "Even there is no such provision under the Constitution. Hence, there was no illegality in Election Commission's holding the dialogue."

Legal experts said the High Court judgment would not only help the EC to conclude its talks, it would also help the Government to hold formal dialogue with political parties.

While top leaders of the two factions of the immediate-past ruling party expressed mixed reactions over the judgment, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Dr ATM Shamsul Huda said he would contact leaders from both the groups of BNP and request them to sit together in talks with the EC.

"I hope the BNP will end the infighting. Let all sides of the party come to us together. The verdict has created scope for it," he told journalists when his reaction to the High Court verdict was sought.

When asked, Khandakar Delwar Hossain said the High Court verdict has deprived BNP of a fair deal.

"The High Court verdict denied the mainstream BNP justice," the BNP Secretary General added.

Welcoming the judgment, Maj (Retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed requested Khandaker Delwar to sit with them in order to unify the party under Begum Zia's leadership.

Meanwhile, anti-reform BNP supporters, in and outside the Court voiced their disapproval when the judgment was pronounced.

A group of people led by two former BNP lady lawmakers-Helen Zerin Khan and Shirin Sultana-thronged the Supreme Court Bar Association's (SCBA) President's chamber and chanted slogans opposing the judgment, while a section of JCD leaders staged demonstration on Dhaka University campus.

The agitating party followers also shouted abuses against Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan and Maj (Retd) Hafiz of the reformist faction of the immediate-past ruling party.

At one stage of the commotion, riot police intervened and dispersed the mob.

After the judgment, TH Khan, counsel for Begum Zia, told reporters that he was not sure of the consequences of appealing against the judgment.

He, however, said they would wait for party instruction whether to move to the Appellate Division against the High Court judgment or not.

The counsel for the EC, noted jurist Dr Kamal Hossain, hailed the HC

Verdict. But he refrained from making any comment whether the EC's invitation to Hafiz for dialogue was valid or not.

Dr Shadeen Malik, counsel for Maj (Retd) Hafiz, said from the judgment "it appears that the EC letter inviting my client for dialogue was valid, since the writ petitioner had challenged the validity of the EC letter".

Protest against women policy: 55 including 30 police hurt in clash

Members of the committee opposing the proposed Women
Development Policy, which it considers contrary to the
teachings of the Quran, set fire to two police motorcycles
on the road in front of the North Gate of Baitul Mukkaram
Mosque in the city yesterday.

Staff Reporter

At least 55 people including 30 policemen were injured in clashes between law enforcers and members of the Islami Chhatra Majlish in the Baitul Mukarram Mosque area yesterday.

Angry members of the Islamist outfit set two police motorcycles ablaze. Traffic at the Paltan crossing remained suspended for about half an hour.

When contacted, Paltan police chief Farid Ahmed said, "About 55 people including AC Motijhell Pankaj Chandra Roy and 30 policeman were injured.

Two police motorbikes were set on fire." The Injured policeman were under treatments at Police Line Hospital in Rajarbag in the city. Witness said hundreds of protesters gathered at the North Gate of Baitul Mukarram demanding cancellation of the National Women's Development Policy. The law enforcers remained alert around Paltan during the demonstration.

At on stage, the leaders and workers of the Islamist outfit attacked the police triggering clashes, witnesses said.

As Islami Chhatra Majlish activists tried to force their way into the surrounding mosques police put up roadblocks on the Paltan crossing and resorted to throwing stone, pieces of brick and batons charge against the police. 25 of Islami Chhatra Majlish activists were injured as police charged batons on them.

Witness said, police had obstructed the Islami Chhatra Majlish men when they wanted to move out of the Baitul Mukarram Mosque after Zohr prayers to submit a memorandum to the chief adviser demanding cancellation of the National Women's Development Policy.

A number of vehicles were ransacked. The Baitul Mukarram market had remained briefly closed.

'Policy mania’ delaying energy sector development: Experts: Extract coal now or never

Mashiur Rahaman

The nation has continued to suffer from energy crisis mainly due to over emphasising on and frequent change in national coal (draft) policy by the successive Governments instead of extracting the mineral resource, which should have given the nation's economy a great leap forward.

Experts said this, while talking to The New Nation and recalled the history of the coal mining, which began at least 150 years back in Africa, North America and Asian countries to meet the need of the human being without bothering for any official policy guidelines.

Adding to that the 'policy mania' of the politicians and bureaucrats, for reasons well known to them, coal mining was only neglected. As a result it impeded development and industralisation of a energy-hungry country like Bangladesh -a nation having great potentials of advancement and progress according to westerner.

In the present circumstances, mining coal reserves is a timely demand, which demands extraction without delay. Let the geography of the mining area determine the method of extraction, said experts.

"Policy has very little to do in developing coal sector in a country like Bangladesh. The lack of a definite policy has crippled our potential power sector," said Mullah Amzad Hussain, power sector expert and editor of a national magazine on energy.

Every time, controversy slowed down the coal sector development process over the extraction methods, said Mullah Amzad.

"Our policymakers try to specify this aspect in their draft policies that actually gives birth to controversies. But the international practice is, geographical and social scenario at a particular mining area suggests the best method of extraction. That could be underground or opencast mining," he added.

According to him, leaving the coal underground is same as having no coal at all.

Dr M Tamim, Chief Adviser's Special Assistant for Power and Energy Ministry informed that the Government was going to form a fresh review committee to evaluate the draft coal policy, comprising a group of high-level experts. But an official source said formation of such a committee was not possible in such short time.

However, if the government had formed the committee, it would have been the seventh one to review a draft coal policy within last two years.

According to former PDB Chairman Engineer Quamrul Islam Siddiqui, a coal policy should only deal with Governments' determination and direction from where coal should be extracted, ensuring minimum environmental and social damages if any.

"Our optimum target should be to obtain maximum coal. And if there is any damage, which is obvious, the mining authority should compensate. Role of a policy is to ensure that," said Quamrul. He was addressing a round table in the city.

In case of opencast mining, which the country should adopt for its optimum benefit, there are available modern technologies in the world to deal with the environmental issues, followed by a proper rehabilitation plan.

In this case, opencast mining is more preferable, as it gives optimum production, he added.

What ever the method of extraction may be, Bangladesh is not in the condition to let the coal remain underground any more, experts opined.

Our natural gas-based power sector could no longer sustain after 2011. In this present scenario, coal is the most and might be the only alternative power generation source for Bangladesh, said energy experts.

According to the last Draft of the Coal Policy in 2007, Bangladesh has a total 2,221 million tons of proven coal reserve, equivalent to about 70 TCF natural gas. These discovered coal from four existing coal sites were of high quality as they have a very low Sulphre content.

If present gas exploration does not come up with an exciting result, Bangladesh has no other source, other than coal, said experts.

According to Mollah Amzad, the residents of the mining areas would grow in number with the passage of time, mounting social and financial difficulties. Beside that, pressure would also mount further from international NGOs like the Green Peace and other environmental and social groups. It would be more difficult to manage them later, than it is now, he added.

Dhaka-Kolkata train service deal signed

Secretary of Road and Railway Division of the
Ministry of Communication Dr Muhammad Mahbubur Rahman and
Indian High Commissioner Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty signing
the Bangla-India Agreement on Dhaka-Kolkata Passenger Train
Service on behalf of their respe

Staff Reporter

Bangladesh and India yesterday signed an agreement to start friendship (Maitree) passenger train service between Dhaka and Kolkata from Monday next.

The Communication Secretary Dr Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman, and the Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty signed the agreement on behalf of their respective sides.

The first international train service which is called 'Maitree Express' will leave Dhaka Cantonment Station on April 14 at 8.30 am for Kolkata, said Dr Rahman.

The Communication Adviser, Major General Ghulam Quader, will see off the Moitree train on its maiden journey. A number of other advisers are expected to be present on the occasion.

Terming the agreement Dr Mahbubur Rahman said the signing of the agreement reflected the government's cordiality and good wishes.

He said support from the Chief Adviser and the Communication Adviser made it possible.

"The train service would strengthen trade and connectivity between the two countries," Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty said.

Replying to reporters on problems of getting Indian visa, Chakravarty said despite some limitations, visa was provided in 48 to 72 hours.

The Maitree Express will leave Dhaka on Monday and return on Wednesday.

The tain will run regularly, two days a week, on Saturdays and Sundays. A passenger will be able to buy ticket at the Kamalapur Railway Station, filling up an application form plus showing passport and visa.

Additional railway secretary ATKM Ismail, director general of the Bangladesh Railway (BR) Belayet Hossain, Indian High Commission's railway adviser Jaya Varma Sinha, economic and commercial councilor Sudhakar Dalela among others, were, present at the signing ceremony.

Bid to enhance competitiveness: Tk 10cr training fund for RMG employees

Staff Reporter

The government has released Tk 10 crore recently for capacity building of workers and mid-level management personnel in the readymade garment sector through intensive training.

The move is to enhance competitiveness of Bangladesh's Readymade Garment (RMG) industry in the global market and meet the requirements of compliance set by the international market players.

The government allocated Tk 20 crore in the fiscal budget of 2007-08 of which Tk 10 crore was released last month. The rest will be released after review of the performance of the project.

Earlier, in 2004-05 the government allocated Tk 20 crore to train the RMG workers threatened with retrenchment in the wake of abolition of the global quota system from December 31, 2004.

As Bangladesh's RMG industry did not face any problem in the post-multi fibre arrangement era and none of the workers lost their job following the abolition of quota system, the Tk 20 crore fund remained unutilised till FY 2006-07.

Later, following a Commerce Ministry proposal the government changed the head of the fund in the 2007-08 budget and allocated it for skill development of RMG workers.

The Ministry of Commerce will implement the skill development programme through the Export Promotion Bureau. The programme will be implemented with the money, which will be obtained as interest of Tk 10 crore to be deposited to a commercial bank.

Each year nearly 2,500 workers and mid level officials will get training which is likely to begin next month.

A committee headed by Director General (Textile) of EPB will run the training programme. Other members of the committee are Deputy Chief of Textile Cell of Ministry of Commerce, representatives from Department of Labour, Bangladesh Tant Board, BEPZA, BGMEA, BKMEA and Director (Textile) of EPB.

Sources said the training programmes will be held in some government and private sector training centres including the BGMEA Fashion Institute. The committee will request the BGMEA and the BKMEA to send the list of garment factories and interested workers for the training programme.

President of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) Anwarul Islam Chowdhury Parvez welcomed the government decision to release fund for training of RMG employees and said there is no alternative to skilled workers and mid management and infrastructure development for the economic growth of the country.

He said business is moving very fast. "If Bangladesh's RMG industry is not competitive, buyers will look for other destinations."

Parvez called for the introduction of diploma courses on apparel industry in the educational institutes for the mid level management personnel, using of government and private training centres to develop skill of workers and public-private joint venture for establishment of fashion institutes across the country.

President of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) Fazlul Huq yesterday told this correspondent that delayed starting of the training programme is a good example of bureaucratic red tap in the government.

He said the government should implement the programme through BGMEA and the BKMEA for better utilisation of the fund.

Move on for balanced growth, says Aziz

Staff Reporter

Finance and Planning Adviser Dr AB Mirza Md Azizul Islam yesterday said that the government has taken various measures for ensuring equitable growth and development in the country.

"We have constituted committees to prepare reports for addressing poverty and removal of disproportionate growth in different areas of the country through Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSP)," he said as chief guest at a seminar on ' Importance of Local and Regional Planning to Achieve PRSP' organised by Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP) at its auditorium in the city.

Prof Dr Sarwar Jahan, president, BIP presided over and Prof Dr AMM Shafiullah, Vice Chancellor, BUET also addressed it as special guest.

Prof Dr Salim Rashid of the Economics Department of Illinois University of USA presented keynote paper and Prof Dr AKM Abul Kalam, general secretary of BIP delivered the welcome speech.

Terming poverty as one of the hindrance to development the Finance and Planning Adviser said that as part of social safety net the government was planning to allocate necessary funds for poverty stricken people in the northern districts of the country.

He said that poverty and disproportionate growth in different areas of the country were causing inequitable developments.

Mentioning vulnerability to natural disaster as causing poverty the Finance and Planning Adviser said the government is taking projects by its own efforts for adaptation and mitigation of natural disaster. He said that an inclusive process was needed for narrowing the gap between development and disproportionate growth in different regions of the country.

Prof Dr Salim Rashid laid emphasis on pro- poor growth in the PRSP for maximising the employment of the marginalised people.

He said that political situation has to be developed for attaining high economic growth.

He suggested to built up Compact Township in the country with a view to save the country's precious arable land.

"Every year we are losing one and half to two per cent of agriculture land due to unplanned urbanisation," he said.

Prof Dr AMM Shafiullah highlighted proper planning concepts to address issues relating to multiple development purposes of the country.

CEC expects BNP factions to unite for talks

Bdnews24.com, Dhaka

Chief election commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda said yesterday he would contact the two factions of BNP and ask them to sit together in talks with the EC.

"I hope the BNP will end the infighting. Let all sides of the party come to us together. The verdict has created scope for it," Huda told reporters in his reaction to a High Court verdict that rejected former prime minister Khaleda Zia's writ petition.

"We want a free and fair election. The implementation of an election roadmap does not depend on the commission alone. Political parties, civil society and the media all will have to come forward."

The CEC said: "After getting a copy of the verdict, I will contact the BNP leaders and speak to them. We will request them to come to us united. It will be good for all of us."

Asked when the EC will hold dialogue with the BNP, Huda said: "I cannot say that at the moment. We will decide later whether to invite one faction or both. We will make the decision after consulting lawyers."

Asked whether the EC will complete dialogue with the BNP before the government starts formal talks with political parties, Huda said: "The EC dialogue may be completed earlier."

The High Court on Thursday dismissed the BNP chairperson's writ petition that challenged the EC's planned dialogue with the party's disputed acting secretary general Hafizuddin Ahmed.

Jamaat press for release of Khaleda, Hasina

UNB, Dhaka

Four Advisers Thursday had informal pre-dialogue interactions with Jamaat-e-Islami leaders who demanded parliamentary elections prior to local body polls and release of Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina to participate in the formal dialogue with the government.

Communications Adviser Maj Gen (retd) Ghulam Quader, Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, Education and Commerce Adviser Dr Hossain Zillur and LGRD Adviser Anwarul Iqbal held the parley with a 4-member Jamaat delegation led by its Nayeb-e-Ameer Makbul Hossain at the Railway Bhaban. Other members of the Jamaat delegation were Maulana

Abdus Sobhan, Mohammad Qamaruzzaman and Barrister Abdur Razzak. The meeting lasted for one hour and 15 minutes from 10:25am.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Qamaruzzaman said they discussed creation of election atmosphere, holding of parliamentary elections before local body elections and release of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and Awami League president Sheikh Hasina, if necessary on bail, to allow them to take part in the proposed dialogue.

2nd ODI against Pakistan today

Sports Reporter

Bangladesh will face Pakistan today in the second ODI at Faisalabad in Pakistan. Bangladesh Television will telecast the match live from the Iqbal Stadium from 4.00 PM (Bangladesh Standard Time).

Earlier, Bangladesh lost to Pakistan by 152 runs in the first ODI in Lahore on April 8.

Before today's encounter, Bangladesh faced Pakistan in 19 ODI matches. Of them, Pakistan won 18 times while Bangladesh registered their only win in the ICC Cricket World Cup 1999.

Bangladesh are yet to win an ODI on a tour to Pakistan.

Bangladesh tem took part in the practice session in Iqbal Stadium yesterday. The Tigers arrived Faisalabad from Lahore on last Wednesday.

Mohammad Ashraful, the skipper of Bangladesh team said that their batsmen did not play will. Ashraful expressed his disappointment at the floodlight failure during Bangladesh's innings in Lahore. Ashraful added that it was unfortunate that that had happened at an international venue.

On the other hand, Shoaib Malik, the skipper of Pakistan said, "You can't judge a team on one match alone. This is cricket where you can't take any team lightly.

Our first priority is to win the series."

AL won't join dialogue without formal letter

UNB, Dhaka

Awami League leadership yesterday refused to sit for pre-dialogue talks with the caretaker government despite receiving proposal over telephone from Commerce and Education Adviser Dr Hossain Zillur as the party earlier had decided not to talk without having formal invitation.

AL was scheduled to sit for informal talks with the government at 5:30pm today at state guesthouse Padma, but the party-presidium members Wednesday decided that it wouldn't join the talks without formal letter from the government side.

"Hossain Zillur called me requesting to sit with the government for pre-dialogue talks today at about 2pm, but I told him that we will not join the talks without formal letter," acting party president Zillur Rahman told reporters at his Gulshan house.

He was speaking while leaders of Munshiganj district's Sirajdikhan upazila Awami League met him and handed over cash one-lakh taka for legal assistance to detained party chief Sheikh Hasina.

"We have several problems, both external and internal, to sit with the government without receiving formal letter and now we are waiting to get the letter," Zillur said.

After receiving the letter, they will discuss among themselves the issues of the talks and then join the meet.

Responding to a query about the latest health condition of the ailing AL chief and ex-PM, Sheikh Hasina, he alleged the government is playing a hide-and-seek game with them over her health.

"Sheikh Hasina was taken to hospital several times and that proved that she is critically ill," the acting president said and again demanded of the government to send her abroad for better treatment on humanitarian grounds.

Zillur said the party is trying hard to send Sheikh Hasina abroad but the government "doesn't pay heed" to their request.

He warned the government that it is not possible to retain power through "repression and harassment rather it needs people's love and favor".

Asked about the High Court verdict that dismissed the writ petition filed by BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia challenging the validity of the EC invitation to talks on electoral reform, AL presidium-member Tofael Ahmed said they hope that the Commission now would take a "pragmatic" decision in this regard.

AL leaders Matia Chowdhury, Syed Ashraful Islam, Abdul Mannan, Dr Dipu Moni and Sagupta Yesmin Eamili and Munshiganj AL leaders Mahiuddin Ahmed and Nazmul Alam Khan were present.

Price hike of essentials: Lack of coordination inside govt blamed

Staff Reporter

Speakers at a roundtable yesterday said that the price of essential commodities has increased in the markets following the lack of co-ordination between the government advisers and the top bureaucrats.

"The advisers and the top bureaucrats as well as the top army personnel offered different explanations about the food situation last couple of months, which created lot of confusion and panic in the market. This severe lack of co-ordination and chain of command has been making the market more volatile and speculation-prone," the speakers said.

They were addressing the roundtable styled "Price Hike of Food Items and Food Security: Perspective Bangladesh" was held at Hotel Lake Shore in the city. The Bangladesh Heritage Foundation (BHF) and Bangladesh Development Partnership Studies (BDPC) jointly organised the roundtable. Agriculture Adviser Dr CS Karim was present as chief guest.

Dr Muinul Islam, Professor of Economics department of Chittagong University presented keynote paper at the roundtable and said, "The present trend of spiralling prices of essential food items has reached a crisis proportion, which have been causing severe price inflation in the market for all necessities of life in particular and an over-all inflation in the whole economy in general. In spite of the recent deceleration of inflationary trends in the rice and wheat markets and a trend of decrease in price of coarse varieties of rice on the eve of the harvesting of a relieve thinking on the part of the Government that the crisis is over."

He added that the alternative channels of public food distribution have been systematically abolished or made dysfunctional during the last two decades by following the dictates of the donor big brothers and the votaries of unbridled 'open market economy'.

He mentioned in his keynote paper that the government has shown unforgivable lethargy in decision making regarding building of a satisfactory buffer stock of food grains right after the two floods and cyclone. Even, the decision makers showed mysterious kept quite regarding import of food grain through government channels offered by India.

"The resultant delay of five months has aggravated the present crisis through the traders speculative frenzy and reckless profiteers. Bangladesh has to pay much higher price for the Indian food grain because of this inordinate delay," he further said.

Agriculture Adviser Dr CS Karim said it is right time to develop our agriculture sector for food security.

"We have provided the fertiliser and other out put to the farmer in just time. The bumper production of Boro approved it again," Dr Karim said.

Economist Dr Kholiquazzaman Ahmed said that building a buffer stock for ensuring the food security was a must.

"The donor agencies confused us by interfering our internal affairs and government also followed their advise on food grain stock after cyclone," he also said.

Economist Abu Ahmed said the government should establish a market regulatory commission.

"The commission will regulate the market and punish the dishonest businessmen who are responsible for volatile the market rule," he suggested.

"If we make strong the trading corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) strong, we would not have faced the present situation of the unfair trading practices of the 'syndicates' and profiteers in the food market," he said.

Former president of FBCCI Mir Nasir Hossain called upon the government to ensure the fair price of Boro for the farmers.

Former ambassador and also chairman of BHF Wali-ur Rahman moderated roundtable while Dr Fahmida Hossain, senior research fellow of CPD, former ambassador Harun Ur Rashid and Sharif A kafi addressed the roundtable.

Nepal votes for assembly for new constitution sans monarchy

BBC Online

People in Nepal have completed voting in elections that will decide the future direction of the country.

The polls are for an assembly that is expected to re-write Nepal's constitution and abolish its monarchy.

Officials say polling has been mostly peaceful, although an independent candidate was killed in violence.

Results are expected over the next 10 days. Officials say that polling has been postponed in 10 constituencies because of voting irregularites.

Correspondents say that Thursday's voting was in contrast to the run-up to the polls, which was marred by violence.

On Tuesday at least eight people were killed in election violence, which prompted international calls for calm.

Explosions in separatist strongholds in the country's south and clashes between rival gangs have fuelled tensions.

EU electoral observers and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon have been among those expressing concern.

Thursday's elections are Nepal's first polls since 1999 and follow a 2006 ceasefire agreed between the government and Maoist rebels.

Around 17.6 million people are eligible to vote.

Despite reports of minor incidents, observers say there are indications of a high turnout.

"I came to vote here today believing this process will settle political instability for good," Mukunda Maraseni, a 40-year-old bank employee who was waiting to cast his ballot in the capital, Kathmandu, told the Associated Press news agency.

Some of those killed in the run-up to the polls were Maoist workers shot by the security forces.

But one was an election candidate who died in uncertain circumstances near the south-eastern town of Nepalgunj.

King Gyanendra seized absolute power in 2005 but was forced to give up his authoritarian rule the following year after weeks of pro-democracy protests.

He has since lost all his powers and his command of the army.

It is hoped the election will consolidate the end of the Maoist insurgency, which stopped two years ago, says the BBC's Charles Haviland in Kathmandu.

US Ambassador Moriarty arrives

UNB, Dhaka

US Ambassador-designate to Bangladesh James F. Moriarty, who arrived here on Thursday to take up his new assignment, said the United States is a steadfast friend of the Bangladesh people.

"I look forward to learning more about Bangladesh and its people and helping Bangladeshis understand the United States better," he said upon arrival, along with his wife Lauren, at 12:12 pm at Zia International Airport.

Moriarty, who succeeds former US ambassador Patricia Butenis, said he feels an honor and privilege to serve as Ambassador of the United States of America to Bangladesh.

US Charge d' Affaires Geeta Pasi and senior officials of the US Embassy here greeted him at the airport.