The New Nation - Internet Edition

Obama wins historic election: McCain concedes defeat: Bush says, history was made: Obama says, we are one nation, one people

President-elect Barack Obama waves during his
acceptance speech at Grant Park in Chicago Tuesday night.
Agencies

AFP, Washington

Barack Obama swept to an historic victory as America's first black president, but pleaded for time to heal and transform the superpower as he faced up Wednesday to the task of forging his promised change.

"At this defining moment, change has come to America," Obama told 240,000 euphoric supporters, many in tears, at a rally late Tuesday after defeating Republican John McCain .Obama, 47, will be inaugurated as the 44th US president on January 20, and inherit an economy mired in financial crisis, wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and a nuclear showdown with Iran.

"Even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime, two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century," said Obama.

"The road ahead will be long, our climb will be steep, we may not get there in one year or even one term, but America-I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there," Obama said in his home town of Chicago.

"I promise you-we as a people will get there." Senator Obama solidified traditional Democratic states and cut deep into the Republican territory which his rival needed to control to win the White House.

Democrats also made huge strides in Congress, boosting their majority in the Senate by five seats, with results still pending in four states, and by 20 seats in the lower House of Representatives.

Obama's win was greeted with euphoria across the United States and reverberated around the world .

New York's Times Square exploded in joy and a screaming crowd gathered outside the White House. In Kenya, where Obama's father was born, President Mwai Kibaki declared a national holiday.

Celebrations erupted from the bars of London and Sydney, with parties spilling onto the streets from Berlin to Havana and from Paris to the small Japanese town of Obama.

McCain, the 72-year-old Arizona senator, was gracious in defeat after a bitter protracted campaign, acknowledging that the election of his rival was a moment to cherish for African Americans.

"The American people have spoken, and they have spoken clearly," he said. "Though we fell short, the failure is mine, not yours," he told a crowd of supporters in Phoenix in his home state of Arizona.

President George W. Bush who has been in control through eight turbulent years also congratulated Obama.

"What an awesome night for you, your family and your supporters. Laura and I called to congratulate you and your good bride," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino quoted the president as saying in a phone call to Obama.

Obama's inauguration will complete a stunning ascent to the pinnacle of US and global politics from national obscurity just four years ago.

Obama is promising to renew bruised ties with US allies, and to engage some of the United States' fiercest foes such as Iran and North Korea. He has vowed to tackle climate change and ensure health care for all Americans.

His presidency also marks a stunning social shift, with Obama-the son of Kenyan father and white mother from Kansas-the first African American president of a nation still riven by racial divides .

Forty-five years after civil rights icon Martin Luther King laid out his "dream" of racial equality, Obama's election broke new barriers and may have helped heal some of the moral wounds left by slavery and the US civil war.

When he launched his campaign on a chilly day in Illinois in February 2007, Obama forged a mantra of change which powered him through the longest, most costly US presidential campaign in history.

His success looked likely after he captured Pennsylvania, a key battleground which was McCain's best hope of winning a Democratic state and keeping his rival from the White House.

And in a sweet moment for Democrats, Obama also seized the key midwestern states of Ohio, Iowa and Indiana as well as the southwestern state of New Mexico, all states won by Bush in 2004.

He later added Ohio, the decisive state which swept Bush to victory in 2004 and another Republican state, Virginia, which had not voted Democrat since 1964. He also won Florida, scene of the 2000 recount debacle.

McCain had argued Obama was too inexperienced to be US commander in chief and would pursue "socialist" redistribution policies that would leave the economy mired in recession.

As of early Wednesday he had won 28 states, including the district of Columbia, for 349 electoral votes.

McCain had won 20 states but had not broken out of the Republican heartland and the south for 159 electoral votes.

In the Senate, Democrats wrested control of five Republican seats including in the traditionally Republican state of Virginia, followed by New Hampshire, North Carolina and New Mexico.

They reached a 56 seat majority in the 100-seat chamber but were unlikely to win the 60 seats they need for a filibuster-proff majority that would mean they could avoid Republican obstruction tactics.

Democrats also won 20 seats in the House of Representatives, solidifying their majority to 258 against 177 of the Republicans, according to data from NBC news.

His storied election behind him and weighty problems in his face, Barack Obama turned Wednesday to the task of building an administration in times of crisis as Americans and the world absorbed his history-shattering achievement as the first black leader ascending to the presidency.

With just 76 days until the inauguration, Obama is expected to move quickly to begin assembling a White House staff and selecting Cabinet nominees. Campaign officials said Illinois Rep. Rahm Emanuel was the front-runner to be Obama's chief of staff. The advisers spoke on a condition of anonymity because the announcement had not yet been made. Obama planned daily briefings, starting Thursday.

With these moves and many others to come upon him quickly, Obama enjoyed an everyman day-after in his hometown of Chicago on Wednesday after an electric night of celebration, anchored by his victory rally of 125,000 in Chicago and joyful outpourings of his supporters across the country. The president-elect saw his two young daughters off to school, a simple pleasure he's missed during nearly two years of virtually nonstop travel, and then a workout.

President Bush pledged "complete cooperation" in the transition and called Obama's victory a "triumph of the American story."

Editorial: 'Yes, we can’

THE historic presidential election in America is over. The American electorate has given its verdict putting to rest all speculations and forecasts. The outcome of the election has made history, marking the coming-of-age of America as a nation. By electing Barack Obama, the first African-American as president, the people of America have shown that they have become a 'United States' not only in name but also in life. When Barack Obama decided to run for the highest office of president it was not only to bring change to Washington but also to become the embodiment of a change in society that was long overdue. He described the result of the election as 'the defining moment in America' and declared that America was a place where all things were possible.

As he spoke he looked sombre and thoughtful. The men and women who had gathered to hear him appeared overwhelmed with the awesome presence of victory and many were visibly emotional. Everyone realised that it was not an ordinary election and that they were on the cusp of history. Obama told the audience that the challenges facing them 'were the greatest of our time.' He assured that united as a nation they would overcome them.

Barack Obama's speech in Grant Park, Chicago was more reflective than celebratory. He was not carried away by emotion and remained calm and composed, giving the impression that he was already thinking about the ways of redeeming the pledges made. He stressed on unity again and again and said that cynicism would be responded to by the "timeless creed of a people: 'Yes, we can." His speech was a rare example of blending of populism with pragmatism.

Barack Obama's speech was also addressed to the international audience and it was significant in its emphasis and implications. He said, 'our stories are single but our destinies are shared.' He assured that a new dawn of American leadership was at hand and declared that the true strength of America came neither from the might of arms nor the scale of wealth but from the enduring power of ideals. Words like these have not been heard from an American

AL to accord Hasina warm reception

Hasina

Staff Reporter

Former Prime Minister and Awami League (AL) chief Sheikh Hasina will return home today 8:00am from London after staying abroad for five months for treatment.

The party leaders and activists have taken preparation to accord her a grand reception.

Party source said thousands of activists will stand on both sides of the road from Zia International Airport to Sudha Sadan of Dhanmondi.

Dhaka City Awami League yesterday held an extended meeting for the preparation of the reception.

AL presidium member Amir Hossain Amu told lakhs of people would be mobilised for the reception. He said, "AL will win the forthcoming elections under the leadership of Sheikh Haisna."

The politics of fundamentalism will come to an end through the party's election victory," Amu said.

Another presidium member Tofail Ahmed said the scheduled December 18 election would be "a repeat of the 1970 general elections" when the AL got majority seats in the then Pakistan National Assembly under the leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

On her return home Sheikh Hasina will have to grapple with many thorny issues before the general election. These include nomination of candidates and formation of grand alliance as part of election preparations.

Sheikh Hasina was released on parole on June 11 under an executive order on medical grounds and left for USA on June 12.

During her stay in the US, Hasina twice met US assistant secretary of state for south and central Asian affairs Richard Boucher.

She was granted bail in all cases against her and was cleared of extortion charges pressed by businessman Noor Ali on Wednesday.

Distribution of AL nomination forms begins

Nomination seekers for parliamentary elections and
their supporters crowd in front of Awami League Central
Office at Bangabandhu Avenue to collect nomination forms on
Wednesday. NN photo

Staff Reporter

The nomination seekers of Awami League (AL) have started collecting nomination forms from party headquarters yesterday for the long-awaited parliamentary polls scheduled for December 18.

As the party formally started selling forms the adjacent area of the party central office at Bangabandhu Avenue became lively with slogans and partisan chants of the supporters from early morning.

Forms are available in six separate rooms for six divisions of the party office at Tk 7,500 each. The selling of nomination forms will continue till November 7. Some 1,011 forms were sold yesterday.

According to the election schedule announced by the Election Commission (EC) the last date for submission of nomination papers is November 13.

Tazimul Islam Shamim, nephew of Dr Wazed Miah, husband of former Prime Minister and AL chief Sheikh Hasina, collected nomination form on behalf of the party chief for Gopalganj-3 constituency.

AL Acting General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam yesterday said Sheikh Hasina would launch electoral campaign soon after her arrival in Dhaka.

He said AL would initially endorse candidates for 300 seats. After finalisation of seat sharing with its allies AL nominees would withdraw from the constituencies handed over to the alliance candidates.

Negotiation with Jatiya Party, Bikalpadhara and Liberal Democratic Party was underway for the formation of a grand alliance.

Ashraful hoped that the national election would be held on time saying, "People were in doubt about the elections. But we have been saying that the elections must be held. I firmly believe that it will be held on December 18."

He also reiterated the demand for the deferment of the Upazila polls and informed that the party leader would sit with the Election Commission (EC) to discuss the 'crucial issue'.

He also said it would be much too difficult for the political parties to participate in the Upazila polls on December 28, just 10 days after of the parliamentary polls.

Ashraful said aspiring candidates could collect form and drop it duly filled in the division-wise boxes in the central office.

"The aspirants who will submit forms will be given receipts. They have to submit a copy of the receipt to the presidents or general secretaries of their respective units," he added.

Awami League Central Working Committee (ALCEC), the policymaking body of the party, on Tuesday anonymously decided that party tickets would be awarded on the basis of the opinions of grassroots level leaders.

An extended meeting of the district Awami League will be held soon with the members, presidents, general secretaries of wards, unions, upazilas and municipalities of electoral constituencies.

The grassroots leaders will send the name of five prospective candidates to the CWC secretary by November 9. The central parliamentary board will finally nominate a candidate from the list for each constituency.

Sacking of VC, Pro-VC: BSMMU paralysed as docs, nurses protest

A section of doctors, nurses and employees of
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University staged a
demonstration in front of the Vice-Chancellor's office
yesterday in protest against the removal of VC Prof M Tahir,
Pro-VC MA Majid and Treasurer Mobin Kha

Staff Reporter

Newly appointed Vice-Chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Prof Dr Md Nazrul Islam yesterday took charge amid demonstrations by a section of doctors, nurses and employees of the institution against his appointment.

The demonstrators said to be supporters of a BNP demanded the resignation of the Health Adviser alleging that the Government had appointed officials backed by a certain political party to the posts of Vice-chancellor, Pro- Vice-chancellor and Treasurer of the BSMMU.

They also said they would soon submit a memorandum to the Chief Adviser's office requesting the Government to remove the new recruits for the highest seats of the county's lone medical university.

The authorities also appointed Prof Md. Kamal Uddin of the pathology department as Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Prof Md Ruhul Amin Miah, chairman of microbiology department as Treasurer of the BSMMU.

Earlier, on Tuesday the Government removed vice-chancellor Prof Mohammed Tahir, pro-VC Prof M A Majid and treasurer Prof Mobin Khan on allegations of forgery of medical certificate for detained former BNP lawmaker Mosaddek Ali Falu.

The BSMMU doctors and staff, under the banner 'integrated doctors-nurse-staff council, observed sit-in demonstrations in front of the VC's office from 11.00 am. They also held a protest meeting at the BSMMU auditorium earlier.

Addressing the meeting Prof Saiful Islam Selim, president of the Doctors' Association of Bangladesh, a BNP-backed organisation, alleged that the government had appointed partisans and removed the incumbent officials on a minor pretext.

He said the way these people were removed is offending to the doctors' community and it has also tainted the neutral image of the government.

Abdul Kuddus, associate professor of BSMMU eye department, said the newly appointed people were adherents of Awami League.

The newly appointed VC of BSMMU, Prof Md Nazrul Islam yesterday said he would do his best to run the hospital well.

"We will try to offer better medical services," he said, as he took over office yesterday.

Meanwhile, Acting Secretary General of Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) Dr Mostaque Rahim Swapan in a statement yesterday condemned the appointment of a physician whom he called an associate of a particular political party as the VC of the BSMMU after removal of "non-party VC, Pro-VC and Treasurer of the BSMMU."

He also demanded resignation of the health adviser and officials in the ministry of health affiliated the political party.

Dr Iqbal Arsalan, secretary general of Swadhinata Chikitshok Parishad backed by Awami League, told reporters that that the newly appointed officials were not members of SCP as alleged.

The BSMMU Teachers Association welcomed the fresh appointments.

Milk powder companies fear billion dollar loss

Staff Reporter

The five milk powder marketing companies, whose brands were found free from toxic melamine contamination, are now awaiting high court order to resume sale and display of their products.

These companies apprehend billion dollar loss due to adverse impact on their image following the recent row centering presence of toxic melamine in some brands.

Talking to The New Nation yesterday, Managing Director of New Zealand Dairy S A Mallick said they market products of Fonterra, a global supplier of dairy ingredients from New Zealand which itself first identified the melamine contamination in milk powder from China.

He pointed out that Fonterra, which controls 64 percent of the total global export milk power, involved New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark to convince Chinese premier to stop production of melamine contaminated milk powder. Its products everywhere is hundred per cent safe for human consumption, he claimed.

Out of 8 brands of milk powder, which were tested fearing melamine contamination, the New Zealand Dairy had three products , namely Red Cow, Diploma and Anlene while Arla Foods supplies Dano and Nestle Bangladesh Ltd Nido Fortified. The reexamination in the UN food agency FAO's Bangkok laboratory had not found melamine in these five items. But toxic melaime was detected in the Chinese made Yashili-1, Yashili-2 and Sweet Baby-2.

Mallick said his business rivals might have plotted the melamine scandal to distort the image of the products of New Zealand Dairy in Bangladesh. "Some days back those people spread propaganda of selling horse milk by our company," he informed.

Ahmed Kabir, Country Manager of Arla Foods, marketing company of Dano, questioned the competence of the DU Chemistry Department to examine melamine contamination in milk powder. " It has equipment, but are its staff qualified enough to detect melamine contamination?" he asked.

Kabir said following the, row he has tested their product at laboratories in Germany and Holland which have not found presence of melamine. Dano is safe for all, he maintained.

"The row has eroded consumers' confidence and victimised both consumers and the milk powder companies. In the long run the consumers will have to pay dearly for this row," he noted..

Laurent Therond, Managing Director of Nestle Bangladesh Ltd, said the news of presence of melamine in Nido Fortified came as surprise to him.

"None of our ingredients come from China. There is no way of contamination of Nido Fortified with melamine. We had tested Nido Fortified in India and SGS laboratory in Singapore and got result at the end of September. None of the test reports mentioned presence of the toxic in our product he," he said.

"We always give priority to consumers' safety. The melamine scandal has created panic among the consumers. It is bad luck for us too," Laurent added

High powered delegation off to Yangon: Chinese mediation being explored

Staff Reporter

A high-power Bangladesh delegation, led by Foreign Secretary Md Touhid Hossain, left for Yangon Tuesday night to try to diffuse tensions over gas exploration in disputed waters on the Bay of Bengal.

"I will meet my Myanmar counterpart and other senior officials to convey Dhaka's concern and demand immediate withdrawal of the vessels and infrastructures from the disputed waters," Touhid told newsmen before his departure.

Earlier, on Tuesday Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury told reporters at his office that the delegation would "try to defuse the current crisis".

The area believed to hold huge reserves of natural gas, lies some 60 nautical miles off Saint Martin's Island, and is claimed by both Bangladesh and Myanmar.

According to an agreement reached at maritime boundary talks earlier this year in Dhaka, Bangladesh and Myanmar committed not to carry out oil and gas exploration until the two countries demarcate sea borders.

A technical team from Myanmar, headed by a deputy minister, will arrive in Dhaka to continue the sea boundary talks on November 16 and 17.

Bangladesh Navy frigates have been patrolling disputed Bay waters from a safe distance, as Myanmar is yet to remove its structures and equipment for gas exploration from the area.

On Wednesday, Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury and

Chinese Ambassador Zheng Qingdian discussed the current situation between Bangladesh and Myanmar on the Bay of Bengal.

"I have explained our peaceful intentions to our Chinese friends, and expressed our hope that Myanmar dismantle the installations on the disputed waters," the Foreign Adviser told newsmen after the meeting.

Myanmar, a close neighbour of both Bangladesh and China, has moved its four naval ships escorted by two warships into Bangladesh maritime territory in the Bay for hydrocarbon exploration to the surprise of

Bangladesh authorities.

Dr Iftekhar talking to news agency AFP warned of possible military action, should Myanmar continue with its exploration work. "Our intention has always been peaceful. But we have to let them know that Bangladesh will defend her territorial sovereignty in every way possible," he said.

A senior official from Myanmar's military government said they were open to talks, but insisted that oil and gas companies were operating inside their territory and far away from the disputed sea boundary.

"Our offshore fields are far from the disputed Friendship Line. The field exploration area is in our own territory," he told AFP.

"We will try to solve this peacefully, but we are also ready to protect our country if needed t we will not tolerate being insulted, although we do want good will."

The official, who refused to be named as he was not authorised to speak to the media, claimed that other countries were meddling in the spat.

Meanwhile Myanmar kept suspended the exploration activities at the disputed waters in the Bay of Bengal as a flurry of diplomatic activities were underway with a high-powered Bangladesh delegation holding talks with Yangon officials in the Myanmar capital.

An official said Yangon agreed to withdraw their rig installed in the disputed area of the sea under some conditions as the two sides are expected to defuse the tension over Myanmar's hydrocarbon exploration.

"The tension is largely defused though the navy ships of both the countries are still staying at the area around the rig" of a South Korean exploration company, he said.

The development came as a high high-level three member delegation headed by Foreign Secretary Mohammad Touhid Hossain left here for Yangon late last night to hold talks with Myanmar authorities for requesting them to suspend the exploration activities in the disputed area until the settlement of the maritime boundary.

Maritime expert Commodore (retd) M. Khurshed Alam and Commodore Habibur Rahman Bhuiyan of Bangladesh Navy are accompanying the Foreign Secretary.

Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury told newsmen on Tuesday that Dhaka would try to settle the issue "diplomatically, for Bangladesh is a peace-loving country".

More substantive discussions on maritime boundary would take place on November 16-17 when a Myanmar delegation, headed by a Deputy Minister, will come to Bangladesh, he said.

Meanwhile Myanmar Ambassador to Bangladesh U Phae Thann O left here for Yangon last evening, official sources said.

Hossain Zillur, Mujaheed meet BNP chief: Khaleda assures no revenge, calls for unity

UNB, Dhaka

Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia urged all to shun the nasty path of vengeance and assured that she would take recourse to justice and lawful behavior with those who committed wrongs to her, her family and party out of vendetta.

"In the past two years, there have been lots of wrongdoings committed and vendetta practiced. And in the course my party, my family and I were the worst victims. But the damage done to the country was much more. I call on all to refrain from the dastardly path of vengeance," she said in a statement to the press last night. "I never ever believe in revenge against whoever has done it. I give assurance that I will behave in just and lawful way with them in the future," said the BNP chairperson, who has recently been set free from jail on bail, said on a note of reconciliation.

The immediate-past premier observed that the country is in deep

crisis. "Our nation never before plunged into such precipice of crisis. Bangladesh's sovereignty is under threat. Doubts are still there over transition to democracy. Economy has broken down. People are puzzled today."

She said national unity is important at this fluid situation and all would have to move forward to overcome the crisis.

"This crisis could be overcome through free, fair and acceptable elections," she said, adding that the caretaker government, the election commission and others concerned will have to be impartial and liberal by overcoming all mistakes of the past.

Khaleda cautioned again an unacceptable election might further deepen the crisis and urged all concerned to avoid that path.

She appealed to all to maintain peace, stability and unity and face all problems with patience and farsightedness.

Her reconciliatory gesture came a day after another former premier, Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina, who was also thrown behind bars amid a purge in the interim period, offered similar forgiveness following the latest turn of events in the political scenario.

EC sticks to upazila poll schedule

Staff Reporter

The Election Commission is sticking to its position of holding upazila election on December 28 though the top leaders of Awami League yesterday insisted to put back the local body polls by a month after the December 18 parliamentary election.

"We've told EC to set the nomination day for upazila polls after one month of the parliamentary election," AL presidium member Suranjit Sengupta told the New Nation yesterday.

However, the election commissioners did not responsed to the AL demand. They only took notes of the Awami League's points of view.

"We did not tell them anything. We gave a patient hearing to their speeches. We will analyse their points later and decide what to do and what not to do," Election Commissioner Shakhawat Hossain said.

A 7-member delegation of Awami League had a meeting with the Election Commission yesterday evening. The delegation included presidium members Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Abdur Razzak, Tofail Ahmed, Suranjit Sengupta, Begum Matia Chowdhury, HT Imam and acting general secretary Ashraful Islam

Chief Election Commissioner Dr ATM Shamsul Huda, Election Commissioners M Sohul Hussain and M Sakhawat Hossain represented the EC.

Suranjit Sengupta said that they requested them to extend time to defaulters to repay loans and pay bills till the nomination day enabling them to file nomination. The genuine candidates should be given the facility to contest the election.

The Awami League leaders also repeated their request for introducing a code of conduct for both print and electronic media to ensure fair and impartial news coverage of all political parties.

The AL also sought a list of election observers so that they could monitor neutrality.

About lifting emergency before election Ashraful Islam said, "It is the matter of government and we have already talked about it. If necessary, we will sit with the government again."

The CEC announced the schedules for the general and Upazila elections on November 2, due on December 18 and Dec 28 respectively. Deadline for submission of nomination papers for both polls is November 13.