The New Nation - Internet Edition

Obama leads McCain in 5 of 8 key states

Voters in polling for the US presidential election
as Barack Obama and John McCain cast their votes on
Tuesday.

BBC Online

Voters across the United States are flocking to polling stations to choose a new president.

Republican John McCain is attempting to defy the opinion polls while Democrat Barack Obama is seeking to become the country's first black president.

Obama, an Illinois senator, cast his ballot in Chicago. McCain has gone to Arizona, his home state, to vote. Record numbers were expected to turn out, adding their ballots to the 29 million who have voted early. In the first voting of the day, Obama won by 15 votes to six in the town of Dixville Notch, New Hampshire.

The town, which has a 60-year tradition of being first in the nation to vote, opened its polls at midnight, with a 100%turnout.

It was the first time the town had voted for a Democrat since 1968. Some 130 million Americans are expected to vote, in a higher turnout than in any election since 1960, the BBC's North America editor Justin Webb says.

McCain continued his campaigning into election day with an early morning stump speech in Prescott, Arizona.

He promised supporters that he and his running-mate Sarah Palin would "change things in Washington".

He said his momentum was growing and forecast an upset that would take him to the White House."We are closing in the polls. All we got to do is get out the vote," he said at the end of a hectic day criss-crossing the country visiting seven crucial states."I will never be able to repay you, except to say to you that I will never, ever let you down and I haven't and I won'tt Let's go out and win this election and get our country going again."

At his final rally in the suburbs of Washington, DC, Obama appeared before a crowd of 100,000 people. The man running to be the first African-American president of the US spoke of national unity just a few miles from the scene of the opening battle of the American Civil War.

At his speech in the Washington suburb of Manassas, Virginia, he told supporters that he had found the long journey to election day both humbling and enriching.

"You've filled me with new hope for our future and you've reminded me about what makes America so special."

Earlier in the day, Obama said his grandmother, Madelyn Dunham - who largely raised him as a child - had died aged 86 in Hawaii after losing her battle with cancer.

Barack Obama voted in Chicago In a joint statement with his half-sister, he described her as "the cornerstone of our family, and a woman of extraordinary accomplishment, strength, and humility," adding that their debt to her was "beyond measure".

At an event in North Carolina, Obama appeared emotional as he spoke of his grandmother, saying she had died peacefully in her sleep with his sister by her side.

The final Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby poll of the election published on Tuesday found likely voters favoured Obama by 11 points over McCain, 54-43%.

If victory goes to Obama, there will be a lot of tears and a lot of memories, some painful

Other national polls indicate Obama increasing his lead over his rival to as much as 13 points.

But the BBC's James Coomarasamy, in Washington, says that while Obama has held a consistent lead for several weeks, a number of factors could undermine the pollsters' predictions.

Among them, he says, are the role the Illinois senator's skin colour may play in voters' intentions; whether newly registered voters will actually vote; and the Palin effect - whether McCain's running mate has energised or alienated Republicans.

On Monday, both candidates dashed through states where the vote is expected to be close.

Opinion polls indicate that Obama leads the vote in all the states that Senator John Kerry captured in his unsuccessful run against President Bush in 2004.

John McCain tells supporters "we will win"

That would give him 251 of the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the White House.

He is leading or tied with McCain in several other states, meaning he has several paths to victory.

For this reason the results in Florida, Indiana, Missouri, North Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Nevada and Ohio are expected to be crucial to the outcome.

Under the US Electoral College system, states are apportioned votes based on their population. The winner in each state gets all its college votes.

Warships on battlegear over boundary dispute: Myanmar refuses to suspend drilling

Staff Reporter

Tension is mounting over the intrusion of Myanmar vessels into Bangladesh territorial waters after Myanmar Tuesday said it will continue exploration of oil and gas in deep-sea blocks in the Bay of Bengal.

Bangladesh on Sunday and Monday twice summoned the Myanmar envoy in Dhaka and lodged strong protest asking to stop exploration in Bangladesh territorial waters.

Foreign Adviser Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury yesterday told newsman that a high-level delegation to Myanmar, led by Foreign Secretary M Touhid Hossain, will try to defuse the current situation.

He said more substantive discussions on maritime boundary will take place on November 16 and 17 when a delegation from Myanmar, to be headed by a Deputy Minister, will come to Bangladesh.

The Foreign Adviser said, "It will be our endeavour to settle the issue diplomatically, for Bangladesh is a peace-loving country. But let it also be understood that we will do all that it takes to protect our sovereignty."

He said Bangladesh has so far refrained from energy exploration in disputed waters. "It is our hope Myanmar will do the same."

The World Bulleting, an online news source, referring Reuters news agency reported that Myanmar will press ahead with oil and gas exploration in deep-sea blocks in the Bay of Bengal despite Bangladesh's claim to the disputed area.

"We have no reason to stop the exploration activities since these blocks are located in our exclusive economic zone. We will go ahead with it," a senior official from Myanmar's Foreign Ministry told Reuters.

"We summoned the Bangladeshi Ambassador to the Foreign Ministry on November 2 and lodged a complaint against the intrusion of their naval ships into our territory, and told them to leave," the official told the news agency, declining to be named.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh and Myanmar overnight mobilized more war ships in the Bay of Bengal as diplomatic efforts were underway to resolve the row over the Yangon's attempt to explore hydrocarbon in disputed maritime boundary.

"The foreign secretary (Mohammad Touhid Hossain) is set to leave here for Yangon after midnight tonight in a bid to resolve the crisis," a foreign ministry spokesman told BSS.

He said Hossain would lead a high-powered three-member delegation as he was expected to hold a meeting with his Myanmar counterpart and ask the secluded country to remove all structures from the disputed waters until sea boundary was demarcated.

The foreign ministry comments came as defence ministry sources said Bangladesh Navy last night mobilized two more ships as Myanmar reinforced their position sending one more war ship near the disputed area.

"The five Bangladeshi and three Myanmar war ships were anchored at the disputed waters while our (navy) officers asked their counterparts to take away the rig installed to explore oil and gas," a defence official said preferring anonymity.

The South Korean rig, however, stopped operations and "the Myanmar navy so far showed nothing which can be called 'provocative'.

Foreign adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury earlier today reiterated Dhaka's position on resolving crisis through "diplomatic means, not by conflict".

"Bangladesh has so far refrained from energy exploration in disputed waters. It is our hope Myanmar will do the same . . . But let it also be understood that we will do all that it takes to protect our sovereignty," Chowdhury told journalists at his office.

Myanmar's oil and gas exploration bid began in the disputed territory at a time when the two next-door neighbours were in a dialogue to demarcate their maritime boundary in the Bay of Bengal, believed to be full of mineral resources.

The first round of talks in April ended inconclusively in Dhaka while both the sides agreed to continue with the dialogue to reach a conclusion and meanwhile refrain from intruding into the disputed area for exploration.

During a recent visit of a leader of Myanmar's State Peace and Development Council to Bangladesh in October, Yangon re- assured Dhaka that they would not carryout any gas exploratory work in the disputed maritime boundary area until the issue could be settled.

Bangladesh shares the Bay with India and Myanmar but has not demarcated the sea territory with them and this is creating dispute mainly in offshore oil and gas explorations.

Officials said none of the countries so far claimed their marine boundaries before the United Nations (UN) so far as India and Myanmar need to solve the maritime boundary issues with Bangladesh as they are set to file their claim to the UN next year under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

But Dhaka and New Delhi in September this year held a three- day technical talks in the Bangladesh capital after a pause of 28 years, while the two countries only agreed further discussions to settle the issue the officials could not reach any agreement on the mid-flow of the cross- boundary Hariabhanga river, considered crucial for demarcation of maritime border.

Bangladesh needs to lodge claims over its maritime boundary to the International Seabed Authority by 2011 as per the UNCLOS deadline by 2011.

50 students hurt in fresh clashes at DU

The scene of clashes between the students of Zahurul
Haq Hall and Sir AF Rahman Hall of Dhaka University
yesterday. Banglar Chokh

DU Correspondent

At least 50 more students of Dhaka University were injured yesterday on the second day of clashes between students of Sir A F Rahman Hall And Zahurul Haq Hall.

Witnesses said, following the Monday incident some students of ZH Hall taunted students of AFR Hall addressing them 'Vouya' (useless), when the news spread around students of the AFR Hall and held Babu and severely beat him up with iron sticks and cricket stumps. After hearing the news, students of ZH Hall chased their rivals out. During the marathon chase and counter chase from 2:00pm to 4:30 pm, both the groups attacked each other, leaving the 50 injured on both sides.

The injured were rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) and DU Medical Center where they received first aid. Among the seriously injured admitted to DMCH are Babu a 2nd year student of English, Reza 4th year student of Arabic and Zakir 2nd year student of Persian.

Additional police were deployed on the campus to avert further trouble.

Jamaat not against election

Staff Reporter

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Moulana Motiur Rahman Nizami said yesterday the four-party alliance will not participate in the forthcoming election unless the seven-point demand of the alliance were fulfilled by the Government.

"The government is yet to fulfil the seven-point demand of the alliance which are prerequisites for holding free and fair election," he told journalists prior to start 'Majlish-e-Shura' meeting of the party at Moghbazar central office in the city.

When asked whether the four-party alliance would participate in the election or not, Nizami said Jamaat is fully prepared to participate in the polls. " We are not against the election rather ready for joining it," he added.

He said that senior leaders of the alliance would take a decision on the question of participation in the election today.

Withdrawal of the state of emergency, release of the detained four-parties leaders and deferment of the upazila polls are among the demands of the alliance.

Replying to a question, Nizami said they would welcome the elections results if it were held in a free and fair manner.

He said the government did not fulfil any of their demands, rather it was taking decisions unilaterally.

" The government is taking decisions unilaterally, one after another, which are contrary to holding a credible election for restoring democracy," Nizami added.

Nayebe Ameers Mokbul Ahmed and Prof AKM Nazir Ahmed, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojahid, secretary general, Mohammad Kamaruzzaman, Abdul Kader Mollah, Prof Mujibur Rahman, Moulana Abu Taher, assistant secretaries general, Moulana Mohammad Abdus Sobhan, Moulana Delwar Hossain Saidee, Mir Kasem Ali and Moulana Rafiuddin Ahmed, central executive council members, Prof Mohammad Tasnim Alam, central publicity secretary and Moulana Rafiqul Islam, city president of Jamaat, among others, attended the meeting.

BNP, 12 other parties get EC registration

Staff Reporter

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and some other political parties yesterday received their certificates of registration from the Election Commission (EC) while certificates for 13 others parties are ready to delivery.

The parties so far awarded the certificate include Jatiya Party (Ershad), Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Bikalpadhara Bangladesh, Workers' Party of Bangladesh, Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD-Inu).

Liberal Democratic Party was the first to receive its certificate on October 20.

"We have registration certificates ready for another 13 parties and have already sent fax messages to the respective party offices requesting them to collect the certificates from EC secretariat," deputy secretary of the EC's scrutiny committee Jasmine Tuli told journalists.

The four parties have also been allocated election symbols: 'paddy sheaf' for BNP, 'plough' for Jatiya Party, 'winnow' for Bikalpadhara Bangladesh and 'umbrella' for LDP. Other parties to have registration certificates ready include Awami League (boat), Jatiya Party-JP (bicycle), Communist Party of Bangladesh (scythe), Bangladesh Samyabadi Dal (wheel), Krishak Sramik Janata League (gamchha), Bangladesh National Awami Party (hut), and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD (torch) and Gonotontri Party (pigeon).

The Commission has finalised the process of registration of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD-Rab), Oikyabadha Nagarik Andolan, Zaker Party, Gano Forum, Progressive Democratic Party (PDP), Gano Front and Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP-Andalib) after scrutiny of documents submitted to EC.

The commission also started hearings on yesterday of objections against registration of four parties: Islami Oikyo Jote, Khelafat Majlish, Jamiate Olamaye Islam and Nezame Islami Bangladesh.

BNP joint secretary general Nazrul Islam Khan, after receiving the certificate from EC secretary Humayun Kabir, told reporters: "We are very happy."

"Our party was never against the registration with EC," he added.

However, he refused to comment when asked about the party's decision to join the election.

CPB general secretary Mujahidul Islam Selim said registration of parties is not an important thing to comment. Bangladesh has much more important issues, that are really important to people, to be solved.

JP secretary general Ruhul Amin Howlader said registration of political parties would play an important part in ensuring the election free, fair and acceptable.

Chief election commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda in his address to the nation on Sunday said no candidates other than those of registered parties and independents could take part in the elections.

EC joint secretary NI Khan who is entrusted with the task of scrutiny told newsmen that the process of registration would be completed by November 10. He indicated that around 25 political parties would be finally given the certificate out of 107 parties, which applied for registration.

Ban Ki-moon’s visit

Hasnat Abdul Hye

The Secretary General of the UN is a busy man, always pre-occupied with works for keeping peace and staving off war in a world where both are problematic. His responsibilities keep him tied down to his office at the bank of East River in New York. He has very little time for travelling and when he undertakes a trip to a country, it is because of a pressing need. Ban Ki-moon's recent visit to Bangladesh has to be seen in this light. During his brief visit to Dhaka what he did and said leave no doubt that he came here primarily as a trouble-shooter, to head-off a looming political crisis. It was not a pleasure trip nor one to convey appreciation for the 'achievements' made by Bangladesh as has been claimed by some.

Bangladesh has been flagged red as a country where politics means confrontation, agitation and violence. It also has the dubious distinction as a country where democracy is a fledgling for a long time, teetering on the brink, again and again. The chronic instability of political regimes has been a cause of worry for those countries and international organisations who provide assistance to the country for socio-economic development, though this has not been taken kindly by politicians and civil society members. In the paroxysm of nationalistic feelings it is often forgotten by many critics of foreign 'interference' that in the age of globalisation no country is an island and the concept of 'sovereignty' has undergone a metamorphosis.

In Dhaka Ban Ki-moon held meetings with the Chief Advisor, Chief of Army and leaders of political parties. He also visited a development project, financed by UNDP. His meetings with political leaders were particularly significant in view of how they reacted recently when the Resident Representative of UNDP in Dhaka remarked that election could be held even when emergency was in force. Ban Ki-moon's meetings with them was not to assuage their feelings but to press home the point that a new beginning of politics after two years moratorium required a different style and substance of politics. He emphasised on the importance of an entente cordiale, cordial relation among political parties to settle their differences.

In the banquet given by the Chief Adviser, the host told about the progress made for holding the election with the help from UNDP, development partners and the country's armed forces. The Chief Adviser informed the visiting dignitary about the reform programmes some of which were designed to make democracy strong and sustainable. Most have involved institution-building and drives against corruption and mal-governance, he said.

The UN Secretary General in his speech at the banquet said Bangladesh's most pressing need was to ensure a peaceful transition to democracy and for the incoming government to consolidate democracy to stem a reoccurrence of confrontational politics. He said an opportunity had opened for the country, particularly the political parties, to address the serious problems that gave rise to political instability and violence in the past. In his speech Ban Ki-moon said the current political dialogue between the government and the political parties in the process of transition must succeed. He then emphasised that equally important was for an ongoing constructive dialogue between the leadership of the two main political parties so as to stabilise and strengthen the quality of democracy in the country. He did not mention Awami League or BNP but it was obvious that he was referring to these two parties whose bitter rivalry and bellicosity spelt political upheaval at regular intervals, ultimately leading to the eventual 1/11 change-over. He reminded the political leaders that they faced a challenge to ensure smooth return to a better democracy, 'a democracy that is sustainable and responsive to the needs of the people.'

The speech of the Secretary General at the banquet gave an inkling into what he might have discussed in his meetings with the political leaders. He, like so many in Bangladesh, have realised that problem of unstable and violent politics was not germane to politics or democracy itself. Politics and democracy failed to flourish and strike deep roots for stability in Bangladesh because political parties and their leaders did not measure upto the requirements. Intolerance, hatred and violence that have characterised politics for over two decades have their roots in the dislike and animosity of political leaders towards each other. Politics practiced during this period saw no compromise, little mutual accommodation and have always been bitterly confrontational. Apart from personal rivalry, narrow partisan interests also vitiated the political atmosphere making a functioning democracy difficult. The political culture that has evolved in this climate of distrust and animus will not change simply because of a moratorium and a fresh start. There have to be a change of the hearts and the minds of politicians in order to make a fresh start successful. For this the politicians have to come closer and discuss issues of common interests in a spirit of reconciliation and co-operation. It is unfortunate that during the past 18 months neither the parties felt the urgency to hold talks among themselves nor the caretaker government persuaded the parties to close their ranks and develop relations congenial for stable democratic politics. The parties were in disarray after 1/11 and they had an excuse for not having such inter-party meetings but the caretaker government was not constrained in any way to initiate dialogues among the political parties. The CTG should have seen these dialogues as part of the reforms undertaken by them for a sustainable democratic dispensation.

There have been many dialogues, formal and informal, between the CTG, EC and the political parties in recent months. Much success could be achieved if these were held earlier. Starting late, the CTG has had to rush headlong because of the deadline set by itself for holding the election. Obviously, this hurry in the pace of 'dialogues' has failed to produce satisfactory results in some respects. For instance, both the Awami League and BNP are still insisting on lifting of emergency and withdrawal of cases against their leaders. If the dialogue were held one year ago the parties could not have made some of the demands that they are making now. They have even threatened to launch movements, which leaves no uncertainty about the lame duck character of the CTG in their minds. This perception has not been helpful for the CTG to press hard its viewpoints and promote the goals in the dialogues.

If the late start of the dialogue has been a handicap for the CTG to convince the political parties about the need to accept some of its conditions, the complete absence of a dialogue among the political parties, particularly between the major two parties, has allowed the old attitudes and relations among the parties to remain unchanged. The two major parties have already traded snide remarks among themselves and accused their rivals of conspiring with the power that be to come to power. If the CTG mediated among or between the parties to hold dialogues, the magnitude of differences between them could be reduced, if not eliminated altogether. As mediator, the CTG could have assumed a neutral role, prodding the parties to reach consensus on such issues as boycott of Jatiyo Sangsad, accepting the result of election when it is held in a free and fair manner, renouncing of hartal and siege (aborodh) and debar leaders who are corrupt and act as godfather to musclemen. These are important issues in the agenda for political reforms. Other reform measures could be pursued by the EC as they have done, though belatedly, under the RPO, 2008. In the format and network of dialogues the crucial missing link has been the absence of the meeting among the parties which make the exercise through dialogues incomplete and limited in effect.

It may not be too late to organise dialogues among the political parties to which the UN Secretary General drew attention. Having neglected this important aspect of political reform, the CTG should give its urgent attention and sponsor 'dialogues' for the political parties. At this late stage, much cannot be expected by way of promoting mutual accommodation among the parties but the process should be started. Taking lesson from the recent past, the parties may not give such an initiative mere lip service. There is no greater teacher than experience and the experiences of the parties have been rich and diverse. They have to be only reminded of this.

Obama’s grandma passes away

Agency

The grandmother of US candidate Barack Obama has died on the eve of the presidential election.

Madelyn Dunham, 86, had cancer. She had been a key figure in Obama's early life, and helped raise him.

When her health deteriorated last month, the Democratic candidate left the campaign trail for two days to visit her in Hawaii.

Obama has spoken of their strong bond and referred to her in some of his most powerful campaign speeches.

Announcing her death on Monday, Obama said: "She was the cornerstone of our family, and a woman of extraordinary accomplishment, strength, and humility.

"She was the person who encouraged and allowed us to take chances."

His Republican rival, John McCain, and his wife Cindy offered their "deepest condolences to Barack Obama and his family as they grieve the loss of their beloved grandmother".

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to them as they remember and celebrate the life of someone who had such a profound impact in their lives," they said in a statement.

Ten days ago, Obama broke away from the campaign trail to pay one last visit to Ms Dunham, whom he had mentioned at several key moments during his run for the White House.

At his speech to the Democratic Convention, he praised her as a role model - someone who had risen from bank clerk to bank vice-president through endeavour, but who had been prevented from getting to the very top because of her gender.

And in the speech he gave on race in Philadelphia, he spoke of her in connection with his former pastor, Jeremiah Wright - whose inflammatory comments about white America had threatened to derail Barack Obama's presidential campaign.

Although he later cut his ties to the Reverend Wright, at the time he said he could no more disown him than he could disown his white grandmother, who had once admitted her fear of passing black men in the street.

Tk 540 crore diesel subsidy for farmers

Shamim Jahangir

The Government, for the second time, is taking preparation to provide its proposed cash diesel subsidy of Tk 540 crore to farmers for Boro cultivation.

To this effect, the Ministry of Agriculture has already formed a high power committee to prepare a list of the farmers who are using diesel-powered irrigation pumps for Boro cultivation across the country.

"After completing the lists of farmers, the Ministry will be able to distribute the cash subsidy before the national election," a senior official of the Ministry said.

He said that the Government was trying to distribute the cash subsidy before the general election as the agriculturists had criticised the government for providing the subsidy during harvesting period of Boro last year.

The government is more aware about preparing a genuine farmers list, as it was surrounded by controversy over enlistment of fake farmers last year, he added.

The Caretaker government had, for the first time, introduced cash subsidy to the farmers using diesel-powered irrigation pumps as an incentive last year. An amount of Tk 250 crore had distributed among 65,93, 872 farmers having land holding of 45,63,000 acres across 484 upazilas last year.

In order to reduce the pressure of price increase of diesel, the government had proposed to allocate Tk 540 crore as cash subsidy in this fiscal year.

The government targeted 46.75 lakh hectares of land for the production of 1.80 crore tonnes of Boro paddy this year. Of the total target 1.31 lakh hectares were for the high yielding variety of paddy, 10 lakh hectares of hybrid variety and 1.25 hectares for local variety.

The Boro season began from October 24 and would continue till March 15, a senior official of the Agriculture Ministry said.