The New Nation - Internet Edition

Upcoming JS polls under shadow: Role of concerned quarters on Aug 4 polls questionable, 20 eminent citizens say

HIGH PITCH ELECTIONEERING: Awami League leader
Suranjit Sen Gupta is campaigning in Sylhet in favour of
Kamran, Awami League Mayoral nominee (now imprisoned on
graft charges) while Enayet Pir, Talukdar Khaleque and
Rezaunnabi Dudu respectively in Barisa

Staff Reporter

Twenty eminent citizens and intellectuals of the country yesterday said that the roles of the concerned quarters over the ensuing four city corporation and nine pourashava elections were 'unfortunate and questionable.'

"The caretaker government will have to exercise unquestionable neutrality in the ensuing elections and they will have to ensure that the elections are held in free, fair and peaceful manner. However, it is the principal responsibility of the Election Commission (EC) to make the polls fair and meaningful. Formulation of appropriate legal framework, and their full, impartial and strict implementation fall under the EC's responsibilities. However, a fair and acceptable election is not possible in any way without the cooperation and responsible behaviour of the political parties and the candidates participating in the polls. The role of the conscious citizens is also very important. But, the role played by the concerned quarters over the ensuing election was very unfortunate and already questionable," they said in a joint statement.

They also observed that the ensuing election is very crucial and an acid test for the nation. "We must have to overcome this test."

The eminent citizens, including some of the former advisers of caretaker government also urged the voters to exercise their franchise tomorrow (Monday) in a very careful manner so that honest, dedicated and eligible leadership comes out of the election.

"We make earnest request to the voters of 13 city corporations and pourashavas to cast their ballots tomorrow applying their conscience and thought. We also request them to cast their votes in favour of honest, eligible and dedicated candidates, because the preconditions of a truly democratic system are the thoughtful and right decision of the voters. In the past, many of us did not take right decision while casting our ballots and we are now paying the prices for those mistakes," they said.

They also called upon the voters not to apply their voting rights in exchange of any money or other facilities. "If this is done, it will be tantamount to selling out one's conscience. We will have no scope to make complaint in the next five years. We will also have no right to protest the activities of any leader, because they will be elected for our wrong decisions," they said.

The joint statement was signed by Prof Khan Sarwar Murshid, Prof Muzaffer Ahmad, Prof Anisuzzaman, Prof Zillur Rahman Siddique, Dr Quazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, Advocate Sultana Kamal, Rokeya Afzal Rahman, M Hafizuddin Khan, ASM Shahjahan, Prof Muhammed Zafar Iqbal, Prof Syed Anwar Hossain, Khondoker Ibrahim Khaled, Selina Hossain, Syed Abul Maksud, Laila Rahman Kabir, Dilara Chowdhury, Dr Shahdin Malik, Shawkat Ara Hossain, Mahfuza Khanam and Badiul Alam Mazumder.

They call upon the Election Commission, political parties and candidates to be sincere to make the election a success.

Meanwhile, FEMA has completed all necessary preparations for the tomorrow's polls.

SAARC leaders vow to fight hunger: 15th summit begins in Colombo: Terror to be high on agenda

Delegates from the South Asian Association for
Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries pose for a photograph
during the SAARC's opening summit ceremony in Colombo on
Saturday. From right to left Pakistan's Prime Minister
Yousaf Raza Gilani, Nepal's Prime

UNB, Colombo

Against the backdrop of food and fuel insecurity and threat of both terrorism and climate change, South Asian leaders yesterday promised effective cooperation in all potential fields to fight hunger and achieve faster economic growth to improve the lifestyle of their impoverished people.

The pledges were explicitly made at the 15th summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) that began here at the magnificent Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall amidst extraordinary security bulwark.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Bangladesh caretaker government's Chief Advisor Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed, Bhutanese Prime Minister Jigmi Y. Thinley, Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Maldives President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, Nepalese Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and host Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressed the inaugural session of the 2-day summit. The theme of the summit is 'SAARC: Partnership for the People'.

All the leaders reflected upon how to increase mutual cooperation in combating the challenges before the region through effective initiatives to increase food production, find out alternative sources of energy to ensure development, enhance intra-regional trade, combat terrorism and adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change.

Bangladesh caretaker government Chief Advisor Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed proposed adopting a clear roadmap for SAARC to fight out poverty and achieve accelerated economic growth to ensure socioeconomic progress for some 1.5 billion South Asians.

"South Asia is home to almost half of the world's poor. Global economic slowdown, soaring oil and food prices and growing threats of climate change are driving the destitute people of the region even further bellow the poverty line," he told the inaugural session to back up his call for such target-oriented action.

Dr Ahmed said, "We must redouble our efforts to attain the SAARC Development goals within the targeted timeline. I believe national action on poverty alleviation should be complemented by effective and robust regional initiatives in order to have penetrative impact on poverty reduction in South Asia."

The Chief Advisor touched on critical issues of food and energy security, trade, climate change and terrorism.

He said the recent price hike of food globally, creating a situation close to food crisis, has led all to reflect deeply on how to ensure the region's collective food security. "This requires our immediate attention to ensure constant and steady supply of food for our people."

The Chief Advisor stressed developing strategies not only to address short-term supply- side shocks but also to strengthen cooperation to increase agricultural productivity. "This is a must to prevent hunger and malnutrition- one of the key priorities of all nations and of the Millennium Development Goals," he said.

He called for early ratification and operationalization of SAARC Food Bank to address the problem posed by food shortages.

Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh said economic cooperation, connectivity and integration would be the cornerstone of SAARC in the future. "We have already agreed to move towards a South Asian Customs union and a South Asian Economic Union in a planned and phased manner."

He praised the establishment of SAARC Food Bank in 2007 as a forward-looking decision, noting that all member-states should now ratify the intergovernmental agreement.

Singh said South Asian countries need to work towards a collective response that leads to a quantum leap in agricultural productivity, food-grain output and farm incomes so that the spectre of food shortage vanishes from the region.

The Indian Prime Minister apprehended that an unprecedented increase in oil and food prices risks jeopardizing the region's development gains. "We should pool our resources to tap renewable sources such as solar energy, hydropower and wind energy, all of which South Asia has in abundance," he said.

Pakistan Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani said SSARC should envisage a network of intra-regional and trans-regional gas pipelines. Within SAARC an enabling environment for regional cooperation can be facilitated by concluding a regional framework agreement on energy cooperation.

In view of the global food crisis, Gilani said the SAARC countries should develop a comprehensive regional strategy to ensure food security. "This is our common responsibility to the people of South Asia," he told the summit leaders, adding, "Together with other Asian countries, we should consider launching a Greater Asia Food Security programme."

Sri Lankan President and new SAARC chairman Mahinda Rajapaksa said most countries of South Asia are faced with curse of terrorism that threatens the peace and stability. He said the SAARC countries need to redouble their efforts for collective action to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations."

He said, "It is important to remember the element of interdependence which is crucial for a durable peace and the protection of democratic values in the region."

President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai, who is leading a country that seemed to be a powder keg amid US-led 'war on terror', said South Asia has to deal myriad problems like chronic poverty, food and energy shortages, environmental degradation; but "terrorism is by far the most menacing of all".

"These challenges do not just prevent the realization of our potential for growth and prosperity; they put our future gravely at risk," he told the summit meet.

Karzai noted that terrorism in South Asia feeds on a residual tradition of narrow-minded politics and of pursuing outmoded geopolitical interests.

"It is time we focused together on fighting extremism and terrorism as the enemies we have in common," he said in his proposition.

The Afghan President said the spread of terrorism must be countered urgently and decisively for the sake of common security and for the future new generation.

Nepalese Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, who outlives his tenure for political complications over the formation of new government following the first general election in the new republic, said growing disparity between the haves and the have-nots is putting enormous stress on social harmony, peace and security in several parts of South Asia.

In addressing this problem, he said, the SAARC countries would have to make socioeconomic and political development process more people-centered, inclusive and based on equality and justice.

Maldives President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, whose maritime country will be a worst victim of climate change like Bangladesh, said if left unmitigated, changing climate would have catastrophic consequences in the region. "Global climate change policies are still driven more by eco rationale rather than all-too important issue of human security."

Gayoom welcomed the Dhaka ministerial meeting on climate change as a development in the right direction.

Bhutanese Prime Minister Jigmi Thinley regretted that the primary goal of SAARC to improve the wellbeing of the people in the region remains elusive. "Millions continue to be mired in inhuman conditions of want and deprivation," he said.

He said efforts must be intensified so that the poor have the opportunity to break free from shackles of poverty and realize their potential. "If we are to make reasonable headway, our national efforts must complement the regional consensus and the Plan of Action on Poverty Alleviation," he told the summit.

Earlier, the outgoing SAARC Chairman, Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, formally opened the summit at 11:05am and handed over the SAARC leadership to the Sri Lankan President.

After country statements by the heads of state or government, representatives of five of the SAARC observer-countries-China, Iran, Japan, South Korea and Mauritius-made statements.

SAARC secretary general Dr Sheel Kant Sharma also made his statement detailing function of the eight-member grouping.

Today the SAARC leaders will have retreat at the Sri Lankan Parliament House, when they would take a deeper look into the issues and tasks.

In the concluding session that will begin at 3pm Sunday, SAARC Foreign Ministers will sign the Charter of SAARC Development Fund (SDF), agreement on Establishment of South Asian Regional Standard Organization (SARSO), SAARC Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters and Protocol on Accession of Afghanistan to SAFTA.

The concluding session will also consider reports of the Ministerial meetings, decision on the venues and date of the 16th SAARC summit and adoption of Colombo Declaration capping the conference.

Deportation from Kuwait, S Arabia continues: 224 more Bangladeshi workers return home

A Bangladeshi worker (left), who was deported along
with a member of others, shows the marks of torture by
Kuwaiti police upon arrival at the Zia International Airport
yesterday. FocusBangla

Staff Reporter

Two Gulf countries, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, continued to deport Bangladeshi workers on charges of violating local laws.

A total of 224 Bangladeshis-139 from Saudi Arabia and 85 from Kuwait-were sent back yesterday, according to an estimate by the immigration at Zia International Airport.

Mahfuza Begum, an officer-in-charge of the immigration wing of ZIA said

Saudi Arabia has sent the Bangladeshis back without passes.

According to deportation practice, people without passport are given passes to leave Saudi Arabia.

On Tuesday, Saudi Arabia deported 118 Bangladeshis on charges of violating Saudi laws by overstaying, or not having passports or work permits.

The Saudi government has deported 257 Bangladeshis since Tuesday.

"A Kuwaiti flight has carried 85 Bangladeshis to Dhaka yesterday," said Mahfuza.

Yesterday figure took the number of Bangladeshis deported from Kuwait on charges of violating local laws to 313.

The deportation from Kuwait started after Asian workers, mostly Bangladeshis, went on strike and damaged property in the Gulf country, demanding pay hikes and better working conditions.

The Kuwaiti authorities arrested some 800 Bangladeshis for allegedly damaging vehicles and attacking the Kuwaiti police.

The law enforcers released some 300 Bangladeshis, as they were proved innocent, according to the foreign affairs ministry.

The Kuwaiti police and military have been examining photos of the workers through video images and detecting the persons responsible for attacking law enforcers or damaging property.

The Kuwaiti authorities have told the officials of Bangladesh mission in Kuwait that the innocent people would be released, but the wrongdoers must go back.

Bangladeshi workers in Kuwait alleged that the police and military had made wholesale arrests of Bangladeshis.

They have alleged that the police and the military personnel tortured the Bangladeshis in custody.

India-Pak row clouds summit

Agencies

The prime ministers of India and Pakistan are set to meet on the sidelines of a regional summit in Sri Lanka, amid a worsening political row.

Pakistan has denied allegations its spies helped bomb the Indian embassy in Afghanistan, and there have been renewed border tensions over Kashmir.

The row threatens to overshadow the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (Saarc) summit in

Colombo. Eight nations are meeting to discuss issues including terrorism and poverty.

Leaders from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Bhutan, Nepal and Afghanistan are involved in the talks, along with the Indian and Pakistani prime ministers.

On Friday, Indian Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon said dialogue with Pakistan was in "a state where it hasn't been in the past four years".

"We face a situation where things have happened in the recent past which were unfortunate," he said.

Officials from India and Afghanistan have publicly accused elements in Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of involvement in last month's Kabul embassy attack, which killed 41 people and injured 141.

On Friday, newspaper reports in the US quoted Washington sources levelling the same accusations against the ISI.

Pakistan's Foreign Ministry issued another denial, describing the claims as "total rubbish".

Tensions between Pakistan and India - Saarc's biggest and most powerful members - have also been exacerbated by continued hostilities in the disputed border area of Kashmir.

India has accused Pakistan of violating a ceasefire accord in Kashmir, and troops from both sides traded gunfire earlier this week.

Shab-e-Barat on August 16

UNB, Dhaka

The holy Shab-e-Barat or the night of fortune will be observed on the night of August 16 (Saturday) as the moon of the lunar month Saban sighted yesterday.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the national moon-sighting committee held at Islamic Foundation this evening, " said a press release.

M Ataur Rahman, vice-president of the national moon-sighting committee and religion affairs ministry secretary, presided over the meeting.

Director General (DG) of the Islamic Foundation Fazlur Rahman, SPARSO chairman M Nazmul Huda Khan NDC, additional secretary of Information Ministry Mamunur Rashid Chowdhury, principal information officer Iftekhar Hossain, deputy director of Meteorological Department Shah Alam, Dhaka Alia Madrasha principal Prof M Islam Gani, acting Khatib of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque Mufti M Nuruddin, Khatib of Lalbagh Shahee Jam-e Mosque Maulana Abu Raihan and other members of the committee were present at the meting.

SMEs' contribution to GDP increases

Talha Bin Habib

The contribution of Small and Medium Enterprises (SME's) to the GDP is increasing due to smooth release of public loans to this sector, according to sources.

The contribution of industrial sector to the national economy has also raised to 30 per cent, which was 7.52 per cent higher from the fiscal of 2006-07.

The flow of disbursement of public industrial loan in the last fiscal has increased to 35. 20 per cent and recovery rate of it has also increased to 25.24 per cent in the last fiscal year, said economists.

They said if the present industrial policy is implemented properly then the contribution of industrial sector especially SME's to the national economy would reach to 30 to 35 per cent and could create new 35 per cent of new employment.

The Bangladesh Bank (BB) has disbursed a fund of Tk 643 crore 43 lakh to different scheduled banks and financial institutions for distribution as loan to the SME's sector.

About 7 thousand and 297 entrepreneurs of SME's have received the loan from that fund. The BB has also raised SME's fund from Tk 100 crore to Tk 300 crore.

The contribution of the manufacturing sector to the national GDP has increased to 17.77 per cent in the fiscal of 2007-08. The growth of small and cottage industry has increased to 8.25 per cent while the heavy industries are 7.22 per cent.

The Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) has raised its investment to Tk 293 crore 89 lakh for flourishing the growth of small and cottage industry in private sector.

Under the patronisation of BSCIC, so far 2104 small and 4233 cottage industries were set up till March this year.

The production and growth of Bangladesh Textile Mills Corporation (BTMC), Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation (BSFIC), Bangladesh Standard and Testing Institution (BSTI) and Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) have also increased in the last fiscal year, according to the sources.

Industries under the supervision of Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) has surpassed their production target worth Tk 852 crore 49 lakh in the last fiscal year.

Up to March of the fiscal of 2007-08 the BB has distributed loan of Tk 43 thousand 128 crore 88 lakh and recovered Tk 29 thousand 948 crore 31 lakh.

There are about 264 SME's in the 8 Export Processing Zones (EPZ's) in the country.

6 cops injured as VIP escort falls in mishap

Narsingdi Correspondent

At least six policemen were seriously injured when a police escort van for the British envoy collided head-on with a passenger bus in Narsingdi yesterday.

The accident took place at Palbari under Narsingdi Sadar upazila on the Dhaka-Sylhet Highway at about 8:00am.

Police said the pick-up van left Narsingdi for Narayanganj to accompany the British High Commissioner, Stefen Evans, who was going to Srimangal. When the police van reached Palbari, a Narsingdi-bound bus smashed the police van completely leaving six policemen injured.

The victims were identified as Mostafa, 36, Shariful Islam, 30, Sohag, 36, Sohag, 30, Lokman, 36, Mahfuz, 45. The injured policemen were admitted to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

The local police detained the bus but the bus driver managed to flee.

A case was filed with Narsingdi Model Police Station in this connection.

IGP says: What can be expected of those made cops thru’ bribery

Staff Reporter

Inspector General of Police Nur Mohmmad yesterday said nothing good could be expected from those, who had joined the police force by paying Tk four to five lakh as bribe.

He made this remark at a seminar on 'Necessity of Reform of Police Act for National Development' organised by Bangladesh Unnayan Parishad (BUP) at the Bangladesh Economic Association (BEA) auditorium at Eskaton in the city.

ASM Shahjahan, a former adviser of the Caretaker Government presented the keynote paper at the seminar, chaired by BUP chairman and BEA president Dr Quazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad.

There is no alternative to implementing the proposed Bangladesh Police Ordinance-2007 to make police force more transparent, professional and accountable to the people, the IGP said.

Nur noted that the country's police force is functioning under the outdated Police Act of 1861 enacted during the British colonial days, where there is no place for such words as community, democracy constitution, media and human rights.

This act needs to be reformed and updated immediately, he said adding that in the proposed police ordinance everything is available.

Despite the allocation of a meagre amount for the police in the development budget of the country, the police force was showing 100 per cent efficiency.

The former adviser ASM Shahjahan said the Police Act of 1861 was enacted four years after the Sepoy Mutiny to clamp down on any sort of demonstration, this Act is very good for exercising control, not for service and development.

He said this police Act was the main weapon of the politicians. By using it, they could transfer or terminate any police officials on many occasions in the past, police were used as the musclemen of the Government.

Shahjahan, also a former secretary to the Government and ex-IGP, said police should be allowed to function independently and impartially for greater interest of the country and its development.

He criticised the present Caretaker Government for not implementing the proposed Police Ordinance. "We don't know why they didn't implement it. This Government has implemented many ordinances without consultation," he said. He urged the Government to implement the proposed police ordinance before handing over power to an elected Government.

If it is implemented then police station will be treated as the symbol of safety and security, he said.

Banks urged to finance HRD programme

Staff Reporter

Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Salehuddin Ahmed yesterday asked the commercial banks to finance in human resources development programmes so that the country can export skilled manpower to the developed countries. To get access to the manpower market in the developed world and to speed up economic growth, human resources development is a must.

The banks will have to come forward to give financial support in this regard, the Governor said at a stipend distribution ceremony of Exim Bank Foundation at Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre.

There is a huge potential to send skilled workers to the industrialised countries including Europe, where population growth was now almost zero, Dr Salehuddin observed.

He said, "In coming days Europe will require skilled manpower. So, we'll have to emphasise on education."

The Foundation distributed stipends among 500 poor but meritorious students from different institutions across the country, including Dhaka University, Dhaka Medical College, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) and Jahangirnagar University.

Each of the students received a cheque for Tk 15,000 for a period of one year, while they will continue to receive the yearly stipend until completion of their studies.

Attending the function, Principal of London-based Icon College of Technology and Management Prof Nurun Nabi announced that his college would offer four meritorious students from Bangladesh a scholarship of 8,000 pound sterling each for two years.

The scholarships to be executed through the Exim Bank Foundation will be offered for studying information technology, telecommunication, tourism and business management.

Encouraged by the announcement, Exim Bank chairman Mohammed Nazrul Islam Majumder declared that the Foundation would bear all expenditures of 10 meritorius students per year for their higher studies abroad.

Moreover, he urged the Bangladesh Bank Governor and other high government officials, who attended the function, to help the Bangladesh Association of Banks (BAB) get an approval for setting up a non-profit university in the country to facilitate poor students pursuing higher studies.

Majumder also requested the Governor's help in getting tax exemption on corporate spending against social responsibility.

Comptroller and Auditor General Ataul Hakim, National Board of Revenue (NBR) Chairman Muhammad Abdul Mazid, Commerce Secretary Feroz Ahmed and some stipend recipients also spoke on the occasion.

Pollution, Internet, doping dominate Olympics lead-up

CNN, Beijing

On the last weekend before the Olympic Games begin in Beijing, Olympic officials were still wrestling with pollution problems, Internet access, and at least one doping case -- albeit an old one.

International Olympic Committee spokeswoman Giselle Davies told a news conference that plans are in place to be able to move events in time if air quality becomes a problem. She said Beijing Olympic organizers and Chinese environment authorities are providing the IOC with daily updates about pollution and weather, which can both have an effect on air quality.

"The two are pretty intrinsically linked," Davies told a news conference. "We've seen in past days that some of the bad skies were actually as much due to an amount of humidity in the air as anything else."

Chinese officials last month implemented a drastic plan to combat Beijing's persistent pollution problems, taking half of the city's more than 3 million vehicles off the road, temporarily closing factories and chemical plants, and suspending all construction work.

Chinese authorities have said they're confident they can reduce pollution levels but athletes will still have to compete in less-than-healthy air, which can hurt performance.

The capital and surrounding areas of northeastern China have the world's worst nitrogen dioxide levels, according to satellite images taken by the European Space Agency in 2005.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says the chemical can cause eye, nose, and throat irritation. It may also cause impaired lung function and increased respiratory infections.

Most days, Beijing is a city shrouded in gray.

Another issue of concern is press freedom after journalists this week discovered some Web sites were unavailable. A spokesman for the Beijing Olympics has said if some sites won't load it's because they have spread content banned by Chinese laws, not because officials are restricting the activities of the media.

The spokesman, Sun Weide, pointed out that new Chinese laws and regulations have eased restrictions on journalists. They include filming access in Tiananmen Square, simplified customs requirements for newsgathering equipment, and a "zero-refusal policy" for interview requests with Beijing Olympics officials, he said.

Weide said China would allow "sufficient convenience" on the Internet to allow journalists to do their jobs.

Davies said theIOC has had numerous meetings with Chinese Olympic officials and authorities about the issue, and the Chinese have promised the fullest Internet access possible for journalists.

"We can only welcome the openness and transparency moves made this week and encourage that that can continue," Davies said.

The IOC said this week it has made no deal about Internet censorship with Chinese authorities.

Davies also said the IOC Executive Board, which met Saturday for its last meeting before the Games, stripped the U.S. men's 100-meter relay team of the gold medals it won at the 2000 Sydney Olympics after an admission by team member Antonio Pettigrew that he had used performance-enhancing drugs.

The IOC ruled Pettigrew, who returned his medal in June, is now ineligible to compete in Beijing and it did not rule out further sanctions against him.

Board members will decide later how to reallocate the Sydney medals and diplomas, the IOC said.

"Doping is a serious threat to the integrity of sport," an IOC statement said. "Mr. Pettigrew's case illustrates that, by choosing to dope, an athlete also jeopardizes his own and his teammates' achievements."

Electioneering comes to an end: 20,000 law-enforcers deployed: All set for tomorrow’s local polls: Political leaders join election fracas

Rafiqul Islam Azad

Four city corporations and nine pourasabhas are set to hold elections tomorrow with voters exercising their rights to vote using ID cards for the first time in the country.

All preparations, including stringent security measures have already been taken by the authorities concerned to hold the elections to Rajshahi, Khulna, Barisal and Sylhet city corporations and Naohata, Dupchachia, Chuadanga, Sreepur, Manikganj, Fulbaria, Shariatpur, Golapganj and Sitakunda pourasabhas.

The elections are being held under the present caretaker government before the general elections slated for third week of December.

The government has already declared Monday as holiday in the city corporations and pourasabhas concerned so that voters can cast their votes easily.

Some 20,000 law-enforcers would be on duty to maintain law and order during the elections. No BDR or Army personnel would be deployed during the voting, but they would be available, if necessary, on demand.

Election Commissioner Brig Gen (Retd) Sakhawat Hossain yesterday told reporters that a three-tier security measure has been taken in and around the polling centres to ensure peaceful voting in all city and pourasabha areas.

He urged the voters to exercise their franchise without fear or favour.

"Apply your good senses, conscience and vote for your chosen candidates without fear or favour," he urged.

He also urged the candidates to hold peace, exercise patience and accept the results in good grace. The Ministry of Home Affairs has set up a control room to monitor law and order during the polls.

The control room will start functioning from 6:00am today and remain open till 8:00pm on Tuesday.

The control room would swing into action on information of disturbances from any polling area, Ministry sources said. People have been asked to contact the control room over telephone on the following numbers -9571686 and fax 9571682, if necessary.

Out of 579 centres in four city corporations, some 218 polling centres have been identified as vulnerable. There are 65 vulnerable polling centres among 136 in nine pourasabhas.

Mobile courts will function in and around polling centres to deal with offenders.

Our correspondents in Rajshahi, Khulna, Barisal and Sylhet reported that all the candidates are spending busy time to walk door to door to seek votes in their favour as hectic election campaigns came to end at midnight last night.

Our Rajshahi Correspondent Shamsun Nahar

said among the mayoral candidates AHM Khairuzzaman Liton of AL, Rezaunnabi Dudu and Mosaddek Hossain Bulbul of BNP are the top favourites.

A total of 15 candidates are vying for the mayoral post, while 203 competing for 30 general councillors' posts and 63 women are competing for 10 reserved councillor posts.

AL leaders Tofail Ahmed and Matiya Chowdhury, among others, are now in Rajshahi to extend their support to the AL-backed candidate.

Our Khulna Correspondent Nasima Muneer reports that the candidates of Khulna City Corporation elections continued all out campaign till last night.

The candidates of Awami League led 14-party alliance Talukder Abdul Khaleque and BNP-Jamaat led 4-party alliance acting Mayor Moniruzzaman Moni will have neck-to-neck fight, it is presumed.

According to election office total 3,99,398 voters including 1,94,902 female voters were enlisted in the last voter list

Commander RAB-6, Lt Col Mefta Ul Karim told The New Nation that sufficient number of RAB personnel will be on patrol on the election day which will continue till August 7.

Our Barisal Correspondent Tapan Chakrabarty reports that more than four thousand and two hundred personnel drawn from different law enforcing agencies would be deployed in Barisal city on the election day.

This was disclosed by Khan Said Hasan, Metropolitan Police Commissioner of Barisal at a press briefing on Saturday at the conference room of DC traffic, Barisal.

Sylhet Correspondent Basir Uddin reports that the city took a festive mood on the eve of the city corporation elections.

On the last of election campaign, BNP and Awami League backed Mayor candidates held two separate public meetings, which turned, into huge showdown.

On behalf of Awami League led 14-party candidate and incumbent Mayor Badruddin Kamran, now in jail on a corruption case, a meeting was held at Registrar Ground in the city.

AL central leaders Suranjit Sengupta and Abul Mal Abdul Muhit, among others, addressed, the meeting.

His wife Asma Kamran and his son Arman Ahmed Shiblu were campaigning in the absence of Kamran.

BNP and Jamaat-backed Mayor candidate MA Haque held a public meeting at Dhopa Dighirpar in the city in the afternoon. Local BNP leaders addressed, the meeting.

A total of 15 candidates are fighting for 1 mayoral post while the number of general counsellor candidates are 197 and reserved councillor candidates are 46.

Meanwhile, police arrested Aftab Hossain, a councillor candidate of Ward No. 7 and 37 supporters from different wards for violation of the code of election conduct.