The New Nation - Internet Edition

JS, Upazila polls schedules announced : Polling- JS Dec 18, Upazila Dec 28: Nomination filing- both Nov 13: Scrutiny- JS Nov 16-17, Upazila Nov 19-20: Withdrawal- JS Nov 24, Upazil

CEC ATM Shamsul Huda adressing the nation

Staff Reporter

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda in a televised address to the nation yesterday announced the schedules of parliamentary and upazila elections to be held on December 18 and 28.

The CEC declared the schedules of the polls after the High Court rejected writ petitions challenging delimitation of parliamentary constituencies.

Changing the decision to stage upazila elections on December 24 and 28, the CEC said the upazila elections would be held simultaneously all over the country.

According to the parliamentary elections schedule, the last date for submission of nomination papers would be November 13. Scrutiny of the nomination papers will be carried out on November 16 and 17. The last date for withdrawal of the candidature is November 24.

The last date for nomination filing for Upazila polls is November 13. Scrutiny of the upazila nomination papers will be held on November 19 and 20 while the last date for withdrawal of candidature has been fixed November 27.

The CEC in his speech also mentioned newly included four provisions of the Representation of Peoples Order Act that spells the qualifications and disqualifications for contesting the polls.

Dr Huda said no one would qualify to contest in the polls without being a voter. An independent candidate must show support of at least one per cent voters of the concerned constituency to qualify to contest.

Civil servants within three years of their retirement, loan defaulters and bill defaulters are disqualified for the poll, he added.

Dr Huda urged all those involved with conducting the Jatiya Sangsad and Upazila elections to discharge their responsibilities with full neutrality and efficiency and the conduct of competing candidates.

He said the government and the Election Commission would arrange all types of security for the election officials.

"I want to say categorically: discharge the sacred duty vested on you remaining above all types of intimidation; ignore all unwanted influence and unjust demands," said the CEC.

"We will do whatever is necessary to ensure that people can go to the polling centres, cast their votes and return home safely."

On the registration of the political parties, the CEC said the aim of the registration was not to control the political parties but to lay out a framework for work between the Election Commission and the political parties.

He said the registration would create a good relation between the EC and the political parties, and ensure transparency and accountability of the political parties.

Dr Huda said until October 2008 a total of 8,11, 30,973 voters have been registered across the country. However, the number was 9,24,41,868 in 2006.

Apparently, 1,13,10,895 excess voters were registered in 2006 which has been corrected this year.

On the dialogues with the political parties the electoral chief said the dialogues were held in completely open and cordial atmosphere.

The political parties' opinions and recommendations on the commission's proposed amendments were pragmatic and timely.

The commission accepted most of the logical recommendations of the political parties and incorporated those in laws concerned and rules, he added.

Dr Huda requested all candidates participating in the Jatiya Sangsad election to maintain a peaceful atmosphere "through being imbibed by the democratic ethos and showing respect to each other".

He urged them to follow the electoral code of conduct and refrain from banned activities during election campaigns and on Election Day.

The CEC warned that traditional "showdowns" would not be tolerated in any way. He urged all to remain alert against such activities and trade in votes.

Huda said the post offices will remain open late in night, if necessary, for sending result sheets from the polling centres.

The CEC expressed the hope that with the sincere effort and participation of the political parties, intellectuals, journalists, students and people in general, the ninth parliamentary election and the third upazila election would be held peacefully on December 18 and 28 respectively.

Jail Killing Day today

Syed Nazrul Islam, Tajuddin Ahmed, Mansoor Ali,
Quamruzzaman

UNB, Dhaka

Awami League will observe the Jail Killing Day in a befitting manner Monday.

Four national leaders Syed Nazrul Islam, Tajuddin Ahmed, Captain (Retd) Mansoor Ali and AHM Quamruzzaman were shot dead at Dhaka Central Jail in the early hours on this day in 1975.

Awami League has chalked out elaborate programmes to observe the day.

The programmes include hoisting of national flag at half-mast and black flag atop party offices, wearing of black badges, placing of wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and at Banani graveyard, milad mahfil and special prayers.

A discussion will also be held on the day at Engineers' Institution auditorium with acting AL president Jillur Rahman in chair. Acting General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam has urged the leaders and workers of AL and its associate organizations to make the programmes a success.

McCain narrows gap with Obama as campaign reaches climax

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama
addresses the crowd during a rally in Springfield and
Republican John McCain showed his funny side with an
appearance on a US television comedy show on Saturday, less
than three days from historic presidenti

Agency, Washington

The US presidential candidates are to focus their efforts on key swing states on Sunday as the 18-month-long election campaign draws to a close.

Republican John McCain will appear on stage twice in Pennsylvania, while Democrat Barack Obama will speak in Ohio three times. McCain's running mate Sarah Palin will also hold three Ohio rallies.

Ohio, which narrowly voted Republican in 2004, is seen as a must-win for McCain in Tuesday's election.

Under the system used in US presidential elections Ohio carries 20 electoral votes, making it one of the largest states where polls show the result could still go either way.

Pennsylvania, where McCain will hold two rallies on Sunday morning, is another crucial state. It boasts 21 electoral votes and voted Democratic in 2004.

Analysts say McCain, 72, needs to win in Ohio to stand a chance of reaching the White House, while Obama needs to hold on to Pennsylvania for the Democrats if his poll lead is to be translated into a result on election day.

After spending Saturday campaigning in traditionally conservative states brought into play by Obama's poll lead, both candidates will use Sunday to return to more usual election battlegrounds.

McCain showed his lighter side on Saturday night, appearing on the high-profile TV comedy show Saturday Night Live.

He played on his reputation as a maverick and the reality of being outspent on the campaign trail by Obama.

"I'm a true Republican maverick: a Republican without money," McCain joked, pretending to introduce a sale of campaign-related products on shopping channel QVC - chosen, he told viewers, because the McCain-Palin campaign could not afford nationwide network TV coverage like Obama.

He appeared in good spirits as he appeared on the show beside comedian Tina Fey, performing her much-acclaimed impersonation of Mrs Palin.

Campaigning in Virginia earlier, the Arizona senator told voters: "We can and will win.

"I'm not afraid of the fight, I'm ready for it and you're going to fight with me," he told voters.

For his part, Obama, 47, used a nationwide radio address to repeat his message of "change": "If you give me your vote on Tuesday, we won't just win this election - together, we will change this country and change the world."

Both campaigns have thousands of volunteers working flat-out manning phone banks, handing out brochures and knocking on doors as election day approaches.

Join us on 4 November to follow the news as America votes, including:

Live text updates through the day and night, with input from BBC correspondents around the US.

Results as they come in, on a live updating map, from midnight GMT Streaming video of the BBC election night programme in Washington Analysis from BBC North America editor Justin Webb in Washington, and Gavin Hewitt and Matthew Price at the candidates' HQs.

Obama, who saw his lead narrow in one tracking poll on Saturday but maintained a 9-to-10-point lead in others, has warned against complacency and urged Democratic supporters to vote.

"Don't believe for a second this election is over," the Illinois senator told a 15,000-strong crowd in Henderson, Nevada.

Speaking to supporters in Newport News, Virginia, McCain questioned Obama's readiness to lead in the face of such "grave threats" as al-Qaeda and the prospect of a nuclear-armed Iran.

He also attacked the Illinois senator's tax plans.

"He's running for redistributor-in-chief, I'm running for commander-in-chief," said McCain.

The final weekend has sprung a couple of surprises, one on each campaign so far.

On Saturday, it was revealed Palin, governor of Alaska, had been duped by a prank call in which a Canadian radio presenter successfully convinced her for five minutes that he was French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Meanwhile, it was reported that a Kenyan aunt of Obama was living illegally in Boston four years after an immigration judge rejected her request for asylum.

Obama said he did not know the aunt, Zeituni Onyango, was in the country illegally, adding that the laws covering the situation should be followed.

President George W Bush, in his last weekly radio address before his successor is chosen, urged citizens to use their vote on 4 November.

Polling officials are expecting some 130 million Americans to vote, says the BBC's North America editor Justin Webb reports - a turnout which would be higher than in any election since 1960.

A fairytale ending?

Hasnat Abdul Hye

All fairytales end happily, which is why people of all ages love them. In the Manichean world of fairytale, where good is pitted against evil, the heroic characters prevail at the end. The qualities of their head and heart help them triumph over adversity.

If Barack Obama becomes the next president of America winning the election on 4 November, he will not only make history, he will prove that in the real world also life can have a happy ending. He will become the first Afro-American, though of mixed parentage, to become the President in America, an event most people have thought so long as impossible.

Barack Obama's long journey to the White House began in his childhood when his Kenyan-born father abandoned his white mother and him, in pursuit of a career of higher learning at Harvard University. Instead of being filled with bitterness and hatred, his mind was full of admiration for his father. The ambition that led his father to abandon them redeemed him in his eyes. The greatest legacy that his father left him was to be ambitious in life and he fondly remembers him for that.

To sustain his ambition even in trying circumstances, Obama's mother spared no efforts and pain. The story of her hardworking life has become well-known worldwide through the repeated recounting of Obama at every available opportunity. Next to his mother, Obama's gratitude to his grandmother has known no bounds. She, too, like her daughter sacrificed her personal comfort and welfare to bring up Obama, giving him proper education. As in the case of his mother, Obama is full of praise for his grandmother and attributes most of his achievements to her. It was his grandmother who kept the light of ambition burning in him, he has said on many occasions.

Barack Obama's ambition and talent took him to Harvard University, as if following the foot-steps of his father. His grandmother could not afford to pay the expenses at Harvard but this did not dater Obama. He took a student loan and plunged into studies with singleminded devotion. At Harvard he met his future wife, Michelle, also an Afro-American and studying law. Both graduated in time and with distinction. A comfortable and lucrative career waited for Obama in a law firm. But it did not square with his ambition to do something more meaningful and less mundane.

After marriage, he and his wife moved to South Side in Chicago, an area scarred by poverty and violence among the underprivileged. Obama took up community work in this troubled and neglected place with missionary zeal. It did not bring much of an earning but gave him immense satisfaction. He felt that he was doing something useful, something that could contribute to the welfare of the people abandoned by society. His wife and two daughters stood by his side as he slogged through the daily grind of work with the community.

Barack Obama's love for and commitment to public service led him to politics and he became a senator in the state of Illinoise. For others it would have been perhaps the ultimate destination in fulfilling ambition. But not for Barack Obama, who set his sights higher. Before long he became the youngest Senator in Congress, representing the state of Illinoise. He took keen interest in the work of the Senate, evidence of which can be found in his best-seller "The Audacity of Hope."

When Barack Obama thought of running for the office of the president of United States, it was not only ambition that spurred him on. It was his realization that most of the power to serve the people lay in the office of the president and that a rot had set in there depriving the people of important services that they needed. He felt that change was urgently required and he was competent for that. After a grueling primary, he won the nomiation of the Democratic party, the first Afro-American to have that distinction. He made history.

The trajectory of Barack Obama's political career is nothing short of astonishing. The steady rise of his popularity since he began his presidential campaign is unprecedented. He has been able to reach out to all sections of American society, except perhaps the elite representing vested interests. He has electrified the young and the middleclass with his charisma, eloquence and energy. He has brought a fressness to the campaign that has not been since John Kennedy. In speech after speech in the hustings he has paid tribute to the decent and hard working American people, stressing his dislike for negative campaign. He has promised to bring change in style and substance in Washington if elected president. The opinion polls have shown that majority of American believe him in this.

With one day to go before the polls, it is still a long shot for Obama to be in the White House. The opinion polls don't tell everything. Besides, the margin in the polls has narrowed as the campaign reached the last stretch. There is suspicion in the air that the Republicans may 'steal votes.' There is uncertainty over the way the swing states might finally go. The 7% of independent voters, mostly white, can determine the outcome and Obama cannot be sure that majority of them will vote for him.

Real life is not like what is told in fairytales. Here 'good' does not always win over the 'bad'. John McCain is not evil but he is 'bad' because of the company he has kept so long. McCain cannot bring about the type of change that is needed in America now. Barack Obama can. But will he able to overcome the odds that are still against him? If he can, it will be proved that life can be like in fairytales, with a happy ending.

Race to White house

New Nation Update

With polls round the corner and buoyed up by opinion polls, Obama entered Republican territory with the triumphal announcement, "We have a righteous wind at our back." He campaigned Saturday in Nevada, Colorado and Missouri, all states that voted for Bush in 2004. He told his audience in a radio address, "If your give me your vote on Tuesday, we won't just win this election - together, we will change this country and change the world."

Obama was on a three-city tour of Ohio, a crucial state for both the Presidential candidates. He was also heading on a battleground blitz of Florida, North Carolina and Virginia. He would then turn to Chicago to make his closing statement. Obama is hammering McCain over the US economic crisis and portraying him as the copycat of President Bush.

John McCain, speaking is Virginia said "We are a few points down but we're coming back." He followed his two-day bus trip around Ohio and Pennsylvania and was stepping up the pace with his midnight rally in Florida. He is attacking his rival's patriotism as he tries to turn Tuesday into a referendum on Obama's readiness to serve as commandar-in chief as the US military are engaged in two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Vice President Dich Cheney endorsed McCain and said "American's cannot afford the high tax liberalism of Barack Obama and Joe Biden."

With two days to go, the presidential campaign has narrowed down to battleground states that have been reliably Republican in recent elections or in the case of Virginia, Indiana and North Carolina, that have not voted for a Democratic candidate in decades.

UN team to help hold Dec 18 polls: Ban: No intervention from any quarter

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called on Chief
Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed at the latter's office
yesterday. PID photo

Staff Reporter

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon yesterday said Bangladesh's Army chief had assured him that there would be no intervention in holding the December 18 parliamentary polls in free and fair manner.

"They will not interfere or intervene in any political process. This is what I was assured from the military leadership," he said while addressing his pre-departure media conference at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in the city.

He said the caretaker government also assured him of its best efforts to hold a free, fair and credible election ensuring congenial atmosphere, security and everything in place.

Asked about the UN position on holding the forthcoming parliamentary polls under the state of emergency, the UN Secretary General said he is well aware of the concern and hoped the government and the political parties would resolve the matter through dialogue.

"I am aware of the concerns and demands by the major stakeholders demanding the lifting of the state of emergency. I have discussed this

issue with the Chief Adviser and the political party leaders. I have asked them to resolve the issue through dialogue between the government authorities and the political party leaders, he said.

Ban Ki-moon hoped that the Caretaker Government would create such an atmosphere in the country where people would be able to cast their votes freely without any fear.

"As a matter of principle, we want an atmosphere where people should cast their votes freely without any fear. There should be guarantee of free assembly and free movement which are basic principles to ensure fair elections," he said.

Ban Ki-moon said political parties should play responsible role and accept fair competition based on democratic rules as well as respect the results and extend full cooperation among the parties.

"The December ballot is a historic opportunity. Now is the moment to stand against the polarisation and violence that have characterised past elections," he observed.

He said the UN would send a small team of highly capable and prominent individuals who would visit in the coming weeks to assess the conduct of the election and report to him.

The UN Secretary General said he saw clearly that democracy belongs in Bangladesh; there is no insurmountable obstacle to ushering in a better, brighter, more sustainable democracy after the elections in December.

Asked whether the UN would take any effort to form a tribunal to try '71 war criminals of Bangladesh, he said if Bangladesh government formally requests the UN in this regard, they would examine the matter.

In his written speech, he said the incoming government would need to reach out to the opposition in parliament. The opposition must engage constructively with the new government to consolidate the reforms begun by the current caretaker government- particularly those dedicated to fighting corruption.

Praising Bangladesh's contribution to UN peacekeeping efforts, he said he discussed with the Army Chief how the partnership with the UN could be strengthened particularly in the peacekeeping operations. Ban Ki-moon said expressed desire that Bangladesh can even do more by dispatching more troops and got positive response.

He referred that Bangladesh is the second-largest troop contributing country with more than 9,000 troops and police officers serving the UN peacekeeping missions and said, "Not only you are building your own country, but you are contributing to peace and better lives everywhere you go."

Mentioning his visit to Sirajganj and Bogra to see micro-credit projects, he said he had very good exchanges with women working towards self-employment.

"What I witnessed today will certainly set an example for the rest of the developing world," he said, hopping that this kind of determination will help Bangladesh become a middle-income country in 10 years time.

He said visiting projects also gave him a stronger resolve to work harder towards achieving the UN-designed MDGs and cast enormous potential for positive social change.

The UN secretary general also spoke about adverse impacts of climate change, rising food price and current global financial crisis that threaten world's most vulnerable people--many of them in South Asia.

Earlier, leaders of BNP and the Awami League met the UN Secretary General at his hotel suit separately.

The secretary-general arrived in Bangladesh Saturday on a two day visit. He was scheduled to fly to New York on an Emirates flight Sunday night.

Wildcat strike by transport workers

Agitated passengers vandalising a BRTC double-decker
bus in Pallabi area after transport workers went on a
wildcat strike in the city yesterday. FocusBangla

Staff Reporter

A wildcat strike by transport workers following a hassle between passengers and bus staff over fare brought communication on Mirpur-Gulistan route to a complete halt yesterday morning. Hundreds of passengers got trapped at different points of the busy route, while many walked considerable distances to attend offices in time.

The strike happened after agitated passengers manhandled a bus staff on the Mirpur-bound bus from Gulistan in the morning. The staff locked in altercation with passengers at Farmgate at about 8:30am as the passengers pressed for reduced bus fare citing the government announced reduction of Tk 0.05 to Tk 0.07 per kilometer.

Even though fuel price has been reduced a few days back, transport workers are still realising higher fares from the passengers, creating noisy scenes and even fistfights inside buses everyday.

On October 26, the government re-fixed the price of diesel and kerosene at Tk 48 from Tk 55 per litre while that of petrol at Tk 78 from Tk 87 and octane at Tk 80 from Tk 90.

Fire at Bangabandhu Stadium

Sports Reporter

A fire damaged property worth Taka three lakh at the Gallery No-21 of the Bangabandhu National Stadium on Sunday. Fire burnt foam, playing equipment and false ceiling of the gallery, which was abandoned after the stadium was stipulated for football, athletics and other events decided by National Sports Council.

Yesterday after ending the match of the Citycell B League between Muktijoddha Sangsad KC and Brothers Union the abandoned gallery was victim of fire. It was at 7.15 PM the previous media centre (Gallery No-21 ) suddenly became the victim of conflagration.However, six or seven units of Fire Service took the situation under control and doused the fire.

Deputy Director of Dhaka Division of Fire Service Abdur Rashid told this Reporter that they could not yet find out the reason of fire.

Md Yahia, the Administrator of the Stadium, said the loss has been estimated at Tk three lakh.

HC upholds EC’s redrawn JS seats

Staff Reporter

The High Court (HC) yesterday declared the Election Commission's gazette redrawing the parliamentary seats valid, clearing the way for announcement of schedule for the ninth parliamentary polls.

The HC division bench comprising Justice Mir Hasmat Ali and Justice Shamim Hasnain dismissed three separate writ petitions challenging the EC's gazette. The court observed that the counsel for the writ petitioners did not make their case with convincing arguments that the EC action as without jurisdiction and mala fide. The EC re-demarcated the parliamentary seats "in compliance with the constitutional mandate and relating laws without any lapse".

Disagreeing with the arguments of the Election Commission that the High Court cannot interfere into the Commission's delimitation affairs under Article 125 of the Constitution, the bench said the court does have the jurisdiction when the question of the Commission's authority and its intention are put into question.

On voters being listed before the redrawing of 133 out of 300 constituencies-one of the main objections of the petitioners-the court said that there is no hard and fast rule specified in the Constitution and relevant laws.

The court, however, observed that it had nothing to do with the number of voters to be enrolled in a constituency, which is a "disputed question of fact and does not come within the purview of the judicial review".

On the question whether the court can entertain any political issue, the bench said although many countries, including the United States and India, restrain the court from resolving any political issue, in Bangladesh the judiciary may look into such matter considering the national interests and perspectives.

Handing down the verdict, which was vital for the fate of the much-debated general election, the HC bench instantly vacated its earlier stay on the operation of the EC notification on the redrawn parliament seats.

As the High Court resolved the disputed issues on delimitation, the EC withdrew its application for vacating the HC stay from the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court.

Emerging from the court a bit downbeat, TH Khan, the principal counsel for former BNP lawmaker Abdul Mannan, one of the writ petitioners, said the judgment was based on "political considerations".

"I'm disappointed and shocked by the judgment, as the writ was filed for not individual benefit but for the greater interest of the people," said Khan.

Four weeks after the re-demarcation of the JS seats, Abdul Mannan, also a former state minister, filed the writ petition in the form of public-interest litigation (PIL) challenging the legality of the EC's notification on the delimitation, done under the recipe of reforms undertaken by the interim regime following the past crisis over the polls previously set for January 22, 2007.

Former Attorney-General Mahmudul Islam, assisted by Dr Shahdeen Malik, appeared for the EC. TH Khan, ABM Nurul Islam, Barrister Rafiqul Islam Mian, Abdur Razzaq and barrister Nasir Uddin Ashim stood for the petitioners.

Meanwhile, a counsel for Mannan filed an application for leave to appeal with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court against the HC judgment.

Govt out to destroy nationalist forces : Delwar

Staff Reporter

BNP Secretary General Khandker Delwar Hossain said yesterday the government had been taking illegal steps and actions one after another to destroy nationalist politics in the country.

He accused the government of favouring a particular political party ahead of the national elections. He termed the government moves as ' illegal and immoral'.

"The government is claiming that they were creating a level playing field for all parties in the election but in practice it is favouring a particular party to catapult it to power which poises the big question on the government's neutrality," he said in a statement.

Criticising the Government for extension of the detentions of party leaders, Delwar accused the government of confining party leaders in the prisons only to destroy the nationalists' forces and exterminate BNP.

He urged the government to refrain from making such ' anti-people' moves.

"The government and Election Commission (EC) have to create a favourable atmosphere for holding a free and fair elections in the country by avoiding its partiality views and favours to a particular party," he said.

Hasina hails JS polls schedule

UNB, Dhaka

Former prime minister and Awami League president Sheikh Hasina, now in Washington, welcomed the declaration of the schedule for the long-stalled parliamentary polls.

She said with the declaration of the parliamentary election schedule, all confusion and apprehension among people over the December 18 polls were gone.

"Following my directives, Awami League's preparation for contesting the polls is almost at the final stage," Sheikh Hasina said while giving reaction over phone to his press secretary Abul Kalam Azad just after the Election Commission rolled out the schedule last night.

She also said nomination forms for the candidates have also been kept prepared.

However, Sheikh Hasina reiterated her demand for deferring the upazila polls with a "logical" time gap between the national and the local elections.

She said the upazila poll date should have been deferred. "I still think that the upazila polls should be held later in a rational time as I doubt how far the election commission will be able to shore up the upazila elections within the declared date," she said.

Sheikh Hasina also criticised the option of 'No Vote' on ballot papers, as she said such a system would confuse the voters and thus many votes would be spoiled.

Meanwhile, at home the leaders of Awami League (AL) have welcomed the poll schedule of the national election announced by the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) last night and categorically demanded deferment of Upazila polls for at least one month.

AL Acting President Zillur Rahman said, " We are happy on the announcement of the national poll schedule. Apprehension among the people regarding holding of the national election had been reduced more than 12 per cent."

He urged the government and the election commission to defer the upazila election and demanded total withdrawal of state of emergency.

He also informed that the party would start nomination paper distribution from next week.

Talking to The New Nation AL presidium member Amir Hossain Amu said, "We welcome the EC for the announcement of the poll schedule and thank it for taking initiatives to arrange the national polls. But we demand the deferment of the upazila polls."

Talking to The New Nation AL presidium member Begum Matia Chowdhury and Suranjit Sengupta echoed the sentiments of Amu.

They also informed that the party would give a formal reaction in this regard today.

Intrusion into sea oil block: Protest note handed over to Myanmar envoy

UNB, Dhaka

Myanmar Ambassador U Phae Thann Oo was called to the Foreign office in Dhaka on Sunday to receive Dhaka's strong protest against the reported intrusion of Myanmar vessels in the deep sea block 08-13.

Foreign Secretary Towhid Hossain handed over the protest note to the Ambassador asking him to convey to his Government Bangladesh's request to also immediately suspend all activities within the declared maritime zones of Bangladesh in accordance with the Territorial Waters and Maritime Zones Act 1974 of Bangladesh.

According to a Foreign Ministry statement, the note categorically emphasized that the Government of Bangladesh reserves the right to protect its interests and urged the Government of Myanmar to ensure the withdrawal of their marine vessels and stoppage of any exploration work until the delimitation of maritime boundary between Bangladesh and Myanmar is resolved.

Trader shot, robbed of Tk 10 lakh

Staff Reporter

Muggers shot a trader and snatched Tk 10 lakh from him at Dhanmondi in the city yesterday. Police said six muggers on three motorbikes intercepted a rickshaw, carrying two cosmetics traders of New Market, Omar Faruq Khan and Saifuddin Khan Tipu, near the playground at Road No 4 in Dhanmondi at noon and demanded money from them.

As the traders tried to put up resistance, the hoodlums shot Omar, snatched away Tk 10 lakh and fled the scene.

Omar Faruq was admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) with bullet wounds on his thighs.