The New Nation - Internet Edition

Siege ends at Mumbai’s Taj hotel: Pakistan won’t send spy chief to Delhi

Evacuees from India, arriving on a flight from
Mumbai, are greeted by family members as they arrive at
Roissy airport near Paris on Saturday. AP photo

Agency, Mumbai

The siege at Mumbai's Taj Mahal hotel is over after security forces killed the remaining armed men inside the building.

The attackers were killed on Saturday, about 59 hours after they took part in a string of deadly assaults across India's financial capital.

"All (combat) operations are over. All the terrorists have been killed," Hasan Gafoor, Mumbai's police chief, said.

More than 195 people have been killed, including at least 22 foreigners, since the attackers began their co-ordinated assaults on Wednesday, officials have said. At least another 295 people have been injured.

Among the foreigners who have died are five Israelis, two Americans, two French nationals, two Australians, a German, a Japanese, a Canadian, a British Cypriot, an Italian and a Singaporean.

Police said that the attacks had been carried out by 10 people who had travelled to Mumbai, police said.

"Ten people had come, we killed nine and one has been captured alive," Gafoor said. At least three attackers and one security officer were killed in Saturday's final raid at the Taj Mahal hotel, Jyoti Krishna Dutt, the country's commando chief, said.

"Our operations will continue until we check each and every room and floor," he said.

Sniffer dogs were later taken into the hotel as security forces made a final sweep through the rooms of the building.

A day earlier, security forces took control of Mumbai's Jewish centre, Nariman House, after exchanging gunfire with attackers inside the building.

Troops found the bodies of six hostages inside the building after killing the men who had stormed the Jewish centre. Meanwhile, Pakistan on Saturday withdrew an offer to send its spy chief to India to help investigate the Mumbai terrorist attacks, damaging efforts to head off a crisis between the nuclear-armed rivals.

Indian officials have linked the attacks to "elements" in Pakistan, raising the prospect of a breakdown in painstaking peace talks between South Asian rivals that has alarmed the U.S.

However, Washington also kept up the pressure on Pakistan with a suspected missile strike on an al-Qaida and Taliban stronghold near the Afghan border that reportedly killed two people.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani insisted on Friday that his country was not involved in the carnage that left more than 190 people dead in India's financial capital.

With Pakistan promising to help identify and apprehend those responsible, Gilani's office said the head of the Inter Services Intelligence agency would go to India at the request of India's prime minister, Manmohan Singh.

However, Zahid Bashir, a spokesman for Gilani, told The Associated Press on Saturday that the decision had been changed and that a lower-ranking intelligence official would travel instead.

He declined to explain the about-face, which followed sharp criticism from some Pakistani opposition politicians and a cool response from the army, which controls the spy agency.

Bashir didn't say who would be making the trip or when.

India has repeatedly accused Pakistan of complicity in terrorist attacks on its soil, many of which it traces to militant groups fighting Indian rule in the divided Himalayan territory of Kashmir.

Pakistan insists its support for agitation in Kashmir, where anti-India sentiment runs high, is only moral and political. But it is widely believed to have supported the militants with training and equipment.

India’s 9/11: The greatest intelligence failure

NN report based on agencies

The world is worried about a possible surge in violence between India and Pakistan after the bloody attacks on Mumbai that killed 195 people. The gunmen wanted to go down in history for an India 9/11 after America, it seems. The incident, however described, happened in the wake of the greatest intelligence failure after 9/11.

During the first hours of the attacks at iconic buildings and famous landmarks across Mumbai, police seemed utterly powerless. Top officials, including the head of the city's anti-terrorist force, were gunned down in the firefight.

It was only when elite Black Cats commandos, the same force that guards Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and the naval special force arrived to tackle the remaining militants holed up in the Taj, the Trident Oberoi and a Jewish centre, that the tide appeared to turn.

At least three gunmen battled with India's best-trained commandos for two days in the maze of corridors in the Taj Hotel, setting fire to places as they moved from floor to floor.

"At times we found them matching us in combat and movement," one commando told the Hindustan Times. "They were either army regular or have done a long stint of commando training. They were behaving the way Indian commandos would have."

In one four-to-five-hour gunbattle, the militants retreated through a hidden door in the hotel. The troops did not know even the door existed, the Hindustan Times reported.

The gunmen also threw grenades to destroy the close circuit television control room early on in the siege.

India and Pakistan have fought two of their three wars over Kashmir. America is concerned about a flare-up in animosity similar to one that occurred after Pakistani militants attacked the Indian parliament in December 2001, an US official said on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation.

Underscoring those fears, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has called the foreign minister of India twice, along with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, since the crisis began.

"There were very worrying tensions in the region," said Gordon Duguid, a State Department spokesman. "She was calling the president of Pakistan to get his read on how those tensions might be affected."

As U.S. officials worked to ease hard feelings between India and Pakistan, a tentative rapprochement between the two nuclear-armed rivals could hang in the balance.

Pakistan's ambassador to the U.S., Husain Haqqani, said in a statement that his country is "confronting the menace of terrorism with great vigor." Haqqani insisted "it is unfair to blame Pakistan or Pakistanis for these acts of terrorism even before an investigation is undertaken."

India's foreign minister has said "elements with links to Pakistan" were involved in the attacks on Mumbai.

However, his Pakistani counterpart has urged India not to bring politics into the issue, saying "we should join hands to defeat the enemy".

The Pakistani government is to hold an emergency cabinet meeting on Saturday to discuss the attacks.

All eyes will now be on India's investigation of the attacks, our correspondent says, with questions already being asked about the failure of its intelligence agencies to uncover the plans.

The commandos suspect that the militants knew the hotel well because they were very mobile during the course of the siege, he says, making it extremely difficult for security forces to secure an area in order to evacuate guests. Several militants checked into the Taj in the weeks before the attack, gathering details of the hotel layout, several newspapers reported. They filmed some locations on scouting trips.

Indian media have reported that one of the militants worked as a chef for 10 months at the hotel. Television footage sowed the assailants carrying automatic rifles and backpacks filled with ammunition and grenades. Analysts said the fact that the gunmen quickly fanned across the city and were able to hold off Indian security forces over three days suggested that they had received training at organised camps.

"What is striking about this is a fair amount of planning had to go into this type of attack", said Roger W. Cressey, a former White House counter terrorism official in the Clinton and Bush administrations. "This is not a seat-of-the-pants operation. This group had to receive some training or support from professionals in the terrorism business."

The Guardian reports that the gunmen were more likely to be homegrown Indian terrorists, rather than foreigners.

Some have described this as India's 9/11, and people in India now want answers as to who is responsible.

The worst terrorist attack in India's commercial capital since nearly 200 people were killed in a series of bombings in 2006 - has been made by a previously unknown group calling itself the Deccan Mujahideen.

However, most intelligence officials are keeping an open mind as the attacks have thrown up conflicting clues, BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner says.

BOMB ATTACKS IN INDIA IN 2008

30 October: Explosions kill at least 64 in north-eastern Assam

30 September: Blasts in western India kill at least seven

27 September: Bomb blasts kills one in Delhi

13 September: Five bomb blasts kill 18 in Delhi

26 July: At least 22 small bombs kill 49 in Ahmedabad

25 July: Seven bombs go off in Bangalore killing two people

13 May: Seven bombs hit markets and crowded streets in Jaipur killing 63

Pakistan on Saturday reversed its decision to send its powerful military intelligence chief to help probe the Mumbai terror attacks, as the army said it had not been consulted on the plan.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asked his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani to send the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief during a phone conversation Friday, after New Delhi blamed the attacks on its neighbour.

"A spokesman of the Prime Minister's House has said that a representative of ISI will visit India instead of the Director General of the ISI to help in investigating the Mumbai terrorism incident," a statement said overnight.

Both Gilani and President Asif Zardari talked to Singh and offered to cooperate in the investigation, amid concerns the row could unhinge a slow-moving process between the two nuclear-armed rivals.

Gilani cut short a stay in the eastern city of Lahore and flew back to Islamabad late Friday for urgent consultations after unease in military circles over the unprecedented move to send the ISI chief to India, senior government officials said.

Before the government U-turn, chief army spokesman Major General Athar Abbas had told AFP that the decision to send the ISI chief had not been conveyed officially to the army.

The statement indicating the government's change of heart was issued a few hours later.

Gilani was to chair a special meeting of his cabinet later in the day to discuss the ramifications of Indian allegations that elements from Pakistan were involved in the Mumbai carnage.

An official in Prime Minister House said a special plane was being sent to India to bring back Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi to participate in the emergency cabinet meeting.

The Mumbai attack came while Qureshi was in India for bilateral talks with Indian officials.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Sing in a televised statement said that the organisers of the attacks were |based outside the country".

In what was seen as veiled indictment of neighbours he warned India's neighbors that "the use of their territory for launching attacks on us will not be tolerated."

In response, Pakistan's defense minister Mukhar Ahmed condemned the Mumbai attacks and warned India to refrain from accusing its longtime rival of involvement. And some security experts wanted that India has plenty of home-grown extremists who could be behind the violence.

The Indian allegation surprised Pakistan's new democratic government, which has repeatedly vowed to work with India to combat terrorism in the region.

Pak FM cuts short India visit

Shah Mehmood Qureshi

Agency, New Delhi

Distressed over widespread charges of involvement of Pakistan in the Mumbai terror attacks, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi cut short his four-day visit to India and abruptly left for Islamabad Saturday morning. Qureshi was scheduled to meet Leader of Opposition L.K. Advani, Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate, at 10.30 am Friday, but had to cancel his appointment due to a cabinet meeting in Islamabad later in the day, Pakistan embassy sources said.

He was earlier scheduled to go to Lahore in the evening.

Qureshi, who started his visit to India Wednesday on a positive note, was 'quite upset' about what he saw as India's 'insinuations' pointing to the involvement of Pakistan-based terrorists in audacious terror strikes at in Mumbai that has killed over 150 people and left over 300 injured, diplomatic sources said.

Hours after External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee blamed 'some elements in Pakistan' for the terror strikes in Mumbai, Qureshi Friday condemned the 'barbaric, inhuman attack' and offered cooperation 'at every level' with New Delhi. He also warned against 'playing politics' with the terror attacks and said the two countries needed 'to turn the tide of confrontation to cooperation.'

'The Indian government should have pondered more, reflected more before coming to a conclusion,' he said.

He, however, acknowledged that there could be 'rogue elements' in Pakistan who would be working to create a wedge between the two neighbours.

'We cannot rule out anything,' he said.

Mukherjee rang up Qureshi Friday evening in the middle of his press interaction with women journalsits of India and impressed upon him the need for Pakistan to take immediate action over the terrorist attacks on Mumbai. He also reminded Islamabad to honour its pledge not to allow its territory to be used for terror attacks against India.

In a curious coincidence, terrorists targeted ten sites in Mumbai minutes after Mukherjee and Qureshi held talks in New Delhiand agreed to wage a joint fight against terrorism.

BNP names JS candidates

Staff Reporter

The parliamentary board of Bangladesh Nationalists Party (BNP) yesterday selected candidates for the polls on December 29.

"The parliamentary board of BNP chaired by party chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and other standing committee members evaluated the selection of nomination aspirants," party sources said.

The meeting of the parliamentary board of BNP that lasted at early hours of Saturday has primarily selected a total of 263 persons for party's tickets to contest the elections.

But later the number was reduced to 250 after reviewing the election strategy and seats sharing with other component parties of the four-party alliance of Bangladesh Jamaat-e- Islami (BJI), Islami Oikkya Jote (IOJ) and Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP).

"The parliamentary board of the party has asked candidates of 13 constituencies for not submitting their nomination papers today (Sunday)," party sources said.

Later the high ups of BNP have decided to allocate seats to alliance partners at least 5o instead of 37.

The names of the candidates intending to contest the polls are:

Dhaka Division

Dhaka 1- Abdul Mannan, Dhaka 2 -Sabera Aman, Dhaka 3 - Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Dhaka 4-5- Salahuddin Ahmed/Selim Bhuiyan, Dhaka 6-Sadek Hossain Khoka/Kazi Abul Bashar, Dhaka 7- Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu/Nasima Akhter Kalpana, Dhaka 8 - Afroza Abbas/Mirza Abbas, Dhaka 9-10 - MA Quayyum, Dhaka 11-12 - Khandakar Mahbub Ahmad, Dhaka 13 -Sayed Moazzem Hossain Alal, Dhaka 14- SA Khaleq, Dhaka 15-16-Barrister Rafiqul Islam Mia, Dhaka 17- Brig Gen (retd) ASM Hannan Shah, Dhaka 18-19- Dr Dewan Mohammad Salahuddin, Dhaka 20- Barrister Ziaur Rahman Khan.

Tangail 1- Fakir Mahbub Anam Swapan, Tangail 2- Sultan Salahuddin Tuku/Abdus Salam Pintu, Tangail 3- Lutfor Rahman Khan Azad, Tangail 4- Lutfor Rahman Matin, Tangail 5- Major Gen (retd) Mahmudul Hasan, Tangail 6- Goutam Chakraborty, Tangail 7- Abul Kalam Azad, Tangail 8-Adv Ahmed Azam Khan.

Jamalpur 1-Shahida Akhter Rita, Jamalpur 2- Sultan Mahmud Babu, Jamalpur 3- Mostafizur Rahman Babul, Jamalpur 4- Faridul Kabir Talukder Shamim, Jamalpur 5- Sirajul Huq.

Sherpur 1- Alliance, Sherpur 2- Zahed Ali Chowdhury, Sherpur 3-Mahmududl Huq Rubel.

Mymensingh 1- Afzal H Khan, Mymensingh 2- Shah Shaheed Sarwar, Mymensingh 3- Engr Iqbal Hossain, Mymensingh 4- Delwar Hossain Khan Dulu, Mymensingh 5- AKM Mosharraf Hossain, Mymensingh 6- Engr Shamsuddin Ahmed, Mymensingh 7- Dr Mahbubur Rahman Liton, Mymensingh 8- Shah Nurul Kabir Shaheen, Mymensingh 9- Khurram Khan Chowdhury, Mymensingh 10- Fazlur Rahman Sultan, Mymensingh 11- Fakhruddin Ahmed Bachchu, Netrakona 1- Barrister Kaisar Kamal, Netrakona 2- Ashraf Uddin Khan, Netrakona 3 - Rafiqul Islam Hilali, Netrakona 4 -Lt Col (retd) Sayed Ataul Huq, Netrakona 5- Dr Mohammad Ali.

Kishoreganj 1- Masud Helali, Kishoreganj 2- Idris Ali Bhuiyan, Kishoreganj 3- Jahangir Alam Molla, Kishoreganj 4 -Adv Fazlur Rahman, Kishoreganj 5- Mujibur Rahman Manju, Kishoreganj 6- Shariful Alam.

Manikganj 1- Khandaker Delwar Hossain, Manikganj 2- Afroza Khan Mita, Manikganj, 3- Harunir Rashid Khan Monnu.

Munshiganj 1- Shah Moazzem Hossain, Munshiganj 2 -Mizanur Rahman Sinha, Munshiganj 3 - M Shamsul Islam.

Gazipur 1- Chowdhury Tanvir Ahmed Siddiqui, Gazipur 2- Hasanuddin Sarkar, Gazipur 3- Prof Abdul Mannan, Gazipur 4 - Brig Gen (retd) ASM Hannan Shah, Gazipur 5- Fazlul Huq Milon.

Narsingdi 1 - Khairul Kabir Khokon, Narsingdi 2- Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Narsingdi 3- Tofazzal Hossain Master, Narsingdi 4- Joynal Abedin, Narsingdi 5- Jamal Ahmed Chowdhury.

Narayanganj 1- Shah Alam, Narayanganj 2- Badruzzaman Khan Khasru, Narayanganj 3-4- Giasuddin, Narayanganj 5- Abul Kalam.

Rajbari 1- Ali Newaz Mahmud Khaiyam, Rajbari 2- Nasirul Huq Sabu.

Faridpur 1- Shah M Abu Jafar, Faridpur 2- KM Jahangir, Faridpur ¾-

Gopalganj 1 - Selimuzzaman Selim, Gopalganj 2- Sirajul Islam,

Gopalganj 3- SM Zilani

Madaripur 1- Alliance, Madaripur 2- Helen Zerin Khan, Madaripur 3-

Shariatpur 1- Shahidul Huq Shikder, Shariatpur 2- Shafiqur Rahman Kiron, Shariatpur 3- AKM Hemayetulla Awrango.

Chittagong Division

Chittagong 1- Prof MBM Kamaluddin Chowdhury, Chittagong 2- Salahuddin

Qader Chowdhury, Chittagong 3- M Aslam Chowdhury, Chittagong 4- Sayed

Wahidul Alam, Chittagong 5- Giasuddin Qader Chowdhury, Chittagong 6-

Salahuddin Qader Chowdhury, Chittagong 7- Ershadullah, Chittagong 8-

M Shamsul Alam, Chittagong 9- Abdullah Al Noman, Chittagong 10- Amir

Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Chittagong 11- Gazi M Shahjahan Jewel,

Chittagong 12- Sarwar jamal Nizam, Chittagong 13- M Nizamul Huq

Chowdhury, Chittagong 14- Alliance, Chittagong 15- Jafrul Islam

Chowdhury, Chittagong 16 -

Cox's Bazar 1 - Hasina Ahmed, Cox's Bazar 2 - Alliance, Cox's Bazar 3

- Lutfor Rahman Kazal, Cox's Bazar 4-

Noakhali 1 - Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon, Noakhali 2- Joynal Abedin Farookh/Kazi Mofizur Rahman, Noakhali 3-4 - M Shahjahan, Noakhali 5-Barrister Moudud Ahmed, Noakhali 6 - Shakhwat Hossain.

Feni 1-2 -VP Joynal Abedin, Feni 3- Mosharraf Hossain

Laxmipur 1- Nazimuddin Ahmed/Imam Hossain, Laxmipur 2- Kabir Ahmed/Abul Khayer Bhuiyan, Laxmipur 3- Shahiduddin Chowdhuru Anny, Laxmipur 4- Ashrafuddin Nizan.

Comilla 1- Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Comilla 2- MK Anwar, Comilla 3- Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad, Comilla 4 - Majeda Ahsan, Comilla 5- Alauddin Bhuiyan, Comilla 6- Aminur Rashid Yasin, Comilla 7- Khorshed Alam, Comilla 8 - Jakaria Taher Sumon, Comilla 9- Col (retd) Anwarul Azim, Comilla 10- Mobashsher Bhuiyan.

Chandpur 1- ANM Ehsanul Huq Milon, Chandpur 2- Nurul Huda, Chandpur 3- GM Fazlul Huq, Chandpur 4-5- Engr Mominul Huq.

Brahmanbaria 1- Sayed Ekeramuzzaman, Brahmanbaria 2-3 - Harun Al Rashid, Brahmanbaria 4- Shakil Wahed/Abdur Rahim, Brahmanbaria 5-Kazi Anwar Hossain, Brahmanbaria 6- Abdul Khaleq.

Rajshahi Division:

Panchagar-1- Barrister Jamiruddin Sircar, Panchagar 2- Mozahar

Hossain,

Rajshahi 1- former IGP Enamul Huq, Rajshahi 2- Mizanur Rahman Minu, Rajshahi 3- Rizvi Ahmed, Rajshahi 4- Prof Gafur, Rajshahi 5-6- Azizur Rahman.

Chapainawabganj 1- Prof Mizanur Rahman/Prof Shahjahan Mia,

(Chapainawabganj 2- M Aminul Islam, Chapainawabganj 3-Harun-ur

Rashid,

Gaibandaha 1- Alliance, Gaibandaha 2- Commodore (retd) Shafiqur

Rahman, Gaibandaha 3-, Mohammad Ali, Gaibandaha 4- Maj (retd) Riazul

Islam, Gaibandaha 5- Hasan Ali

Dinajpur 1- Syed Ahmed Reza Hossain/Kabirul Islam, Dinajpur 2- Lt Gen

(retd) Mahbubur Rahman, Dinajpur 3- MA Jalil, Dinajpur 4- Hafizur

Rahman/Akhteruzzaman Mia/Maj (retd) Mirza Shamsul, Dinajpur 5- TH

Akbar Ali

Nilphamari 1- Dr Zahid Hossain Pradhan, (Nilphamari 2- Shamsuzzaman, Nilphamari 3-4- Amzad Hossain Sarkar.

Kurigram 1- Saifur Rahman Rana, Kurigram 2- Tajul Islam Chowdhury,

Kurigram 3- Matiur Rahman, Kurigram 4- Alliance

Bogra 1- Shokrana, Bogra 2- AKM Hafizur Rahman, Bogra 3- Abdul Momin Talukdar Khoka, Bogra 4- GIS Mostafa/Ali Hossain, Bogra 5- Mahbubur Rahman Harez/Jane Alam Khoka/Shafiuzzan Khokon, Bogra 6-7- Begum Khaleda Zia.

Natore 1- Fazlur Rahman Patal, Natore 2- Sabina Yasmin Chhabi, Natore

3- Kazi Golam Morshed, Natore 4- Mozammel Haque.

Noagaon 1- Dr Salek Chowdhury, Noagaon 2- Abdun Noor, Noagaon 3-Akhter Hamid Siddiqui, Noagaon 4- Shamsul Alam Pramanik, Noagaon 5- M Hasan Siddiqi/Lt Col (retd) Latif Khan, Noagaon 6- Anwar Hossain Bulu.

Lalmonirhat 1- Alliance, Lalmonirhat 2- Salahuddin Ahmed Helal, Lalmonirhat 3- Principal Asadul Habib Dulu.

Pabna 1- Alliance, Pabna 2- Selim Reza Habib, Pabna 3- Group Captain (retd) Saiful Azam, Pabna 4- Siraj Sardar (Pabna 5- Alliance.

Rangpur 1-2- Alliance, Rangpur 3- Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel (Rangpur

4- Rahim Uddin Bharasha, Rangpur 5-6

Sirajganj 1- Abdul Mazid Minu, Sirajganj 2- Romana Mahmud, Sirajganj 3- Abdul Mannan Talukdar, Sirajganj 4- M Akbar Ali, Sirajganj 5- Maj (retd) Manjur Qader/Golam Mawla Khan Bablu, Sirajganj 6- Kamruddin Ehia Khan Majlish.

Joypurhat 1- Mozahar Ali Pradhan, Joypurhat 2- Golam Mostafa.

Thakurgaon 1- Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Thakurgaon 2- , Thakurgaon 3- Zahidur Rahman Zahid.

Barisal Division:

Barisal 1- Eng Abdus Sobhan, Barisal 2- Sardar Sharfuddin Ahmed Santu, Barisal 3, Barisal 4- Mezbah Uddin Farhad, Barisal 5- Mujibur Rahman Sarwar, Barisal 6- Abul Hossain Khan.

Jhalakati 1- Rafiqul Islam Jamal, Jhalakati 2- Ismat Sultana Elen

Bhutto,

Pirojpur 1, Pirojpur 2- Nurul Islam Manju, Pirojpur 3- Colonel (retd)

Shahjahan Miah.

Bhola- 1 Alliance, Bhola 2, Bhola 3- Maj (retd) Hafiz uddin Ahmed Beer Bikram, Bhola 4- Nazim Uddin Alam.

Patuakhali 1- Air Vice Marshal (retd) Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, Patuakhali 2- Shahidul Alam Talukdar/Faruque Ahmed Talukdar, Patualikhali 3- M Golam Mostafa, Patuakhali 4- ABM Mosharraf Hossain.

Barguna 1- Matiar Rahman Talukdar, Barguna 2- Adv Khandakar Mahbub Hossain.

Khulna Division:

Khulna 1- Amir Ejaj Khan, Khulna 2- Nazrul Islam Manju, Khulna 3-4 -

Shah Kamal Taj, Khulna-5-6

Meherpur 1- Group Cap Shamsuzzoha, Meherpur 2- Amzad Hossain.

Kushtia 1- Altaf Hossain, Kushtia 2- Prof Shahidul Islam, Kushtia 3-Principal Sohrab Uddin, Kushtia 4- Syed Mehedi Ahmed Rumi.

Jessore-1, 2, Jessore 3- Tariqul Islam, Jessore 4- TH Aiyub, Jessore 5-6- Abdus Samad Biswas/Barrister Omar Shadat.

Magura 1- Iqbal Akhtar, Magura 2- Nitai Roy Chowdhury.

Narail 1- Biswas Jahangir Alam, Narail 2- Sharif Khasruzzaman.

Satkhira 1, 2,3, Satkhira 4- HM Rahmatullah,

Chuadanga 1- Ohidul Islam Biswas, Chuadanga 2- Alliance.

Bagerhat 1- Sheikh Shahiduzzaman Dipu, Bagerhat 2- MA Salam, Bagerhat 3-4- Alliance.

Jhenidah 1- Abdul Wahab/Md Shamsuzzaman, Jhenidah 2- Moshiur Rahman, Jhenidah 3- Shahidul Islam Master, Jhenaidah 4- Shahiduzzaman Beltu.

Sylhet Division:

Sylhet 1 - M Saifur Rahman, Sylhet 2- M Iliyas Ali, Sylhet 3- Shafi Ahmed Chowdhury, Sylhet 4- Dildar Hossain Selim, Sylhet 5- Alliance, Sylhet 6 - Alliance.

Sunamganj 1 - Dr Rafiq Chowdhury, Sunamganj 2 - Nasiruddin Chowdhury, Sunamganj 3 - Alliance, Sunamganj 4- Fazlul Huq Aspia, Sunamganj 5-Kamaludin Ahmed Milon.

Moulvibazar 1- Ebadur Rahman Chowdhury, Moulvibazar 2- Adv Abed Raza, Moulvibazar 3- M Saifur Rahman, Moulvibazar 4- Mujibur Rahman Chowdhury.

Habiganj 1 - Sheikh Sujat Mia, Habiganj 2- Dr Shakhwat Hossain Jibon, Habiganj 3- Abul Lais M Mubin Chowdhury, Habiganj 4- Sayed M Faisal.

UN observers say: Chance of fair polls brighter than two years back

Staff Reporter

The UN Secretary General's High-Level Panel on Bangladesh Elections yesterday ruled out any doubt or suspicion over holding a credible election here, but said there are still some challenges before the Caretaker Government and the Election Commission to face.

The three-member team of representatives of UN Secretary General Ban ki-Moon, comprising former UN assistant secretary general Francesc Vendrell, Chief Election Commissioner of Nepal Bhojraj Pokharel and Aracelly Santana, arrived here on November 23.

The UN panel is going to submit a report on Bangladesh's political situation to the UN secretary-general, panel chief Francesc Vendrell told a press conference at Hotel Sheraton in Dhaka prior to his departure yesterday.

Inspecting Bangladesh's pre-poll scenario, Francesc Vendrell categorically said, there is "no reason to doubt" the December 29 polls would be held in a free, fair and credible manner.

"I think that the chances of a credible election today are much higher than there were two years ago," he said

He hoped that the winners and losers in the next parliamentary polls would accept the results and there would be amicable relations between the ruling party and the opposition.

The UN team leader, however, said lifting the state of emergency shortly after December 11, the last date for withdrawal of candidature, and ensuring calm on the political front thereafter are the main challenges before the coming general election and also effective transition to democratic system.

Ensuring that political parties must abide by the code of conduct set by the election commission, there will be no violence in the run-up to the election, minority voters can vote freely, maintaining calm before and after the polling-day, and guaranteeing that results would be accepted by the parties are the other challenges the UN election-assessment team spelt out.

Vendrell reported that the caretaker government had assured that the emergency would go sometime before Dec 29, but not before Dec 11, the last date for withdrawal of candidacy.

The UN official also expressed surprise that some prominent citizens were in favour of holding the general election under the state of emergency.

"It is true that not only General Ershad but other prominent people in Bangladesh think the state of emergency should remain until Election Day. It is an unusual experience for us," said Vendrell.

"We would, of course, say the most important thing for the election is that political freedoms are in place: that there is freedom of speech, there is freedom of assembly, freedom from violence and intimidation.

"It seems to an outsider it would make sense to lift the state of emergency," he added.

Vendrell opposed diplomats' role in the domestic politics of the country. "I don't think the diplomats should be the main players in domestic politics."

"I think their tasks are very clear. They are here to represent their governments. They are here of course to ensure the assistance they give is properly utilised," he said.

"I think it is up to the people of Bangladesh to tell the foreigners to get off if we appear to be infringing into the internal affairs of Bangladesh," said the UN representative.

"I am leaving with the perception that things are looking positive. Some steps were already taken and some steps would be taken to ensure level playing field," said Vendrel, summing up the outcome of their weeklong visit to assess the pre-election situation at the direction of the UN secretary general, Ban ki-Moon.

During their visit, the UN representatives had meetings with the Government, the Election Commission, political leaders, diplomats, civil society members and other stakeholders, he said.

AL changes nomination in 13 constituencies

Staff Reporter

Bangladesh Awami League has changed its candidates in 13 constituencies to contest in the ensuing general election scheduled on December 29.

The Awami League Parliamentary Board (ALPB) yesterday changed nine more nominations, a day before the deadline for submission of nomination papers for the nineth parliamentary polls.

Up to noon yesterday ALPB replaced previous nominations for Rajshahi-5, Jamalpur-1, Natore-3, Dinajpur-6, Jhenidah-3, Jhenidah-4, Netrakona-2, Netrakon -4 and Joypurhat-1. Earlier on Friday, the Party changed its Pirojpur-2, Rajshahi-2, Cox's Bazar-4 and Manikganj-4 nominees.

Adv Shafiqul Azim Khan replaced Nabi Newaz in Jhenidah-3, Ashraf Ali Khan Khasru replaced Lt Col (retd) Nur in Netrakona-2, Shafi Ahmed replaced Rebeka Momen in Netrakona-4, Khaja Shamsul Islam replaced Shamsul Alam Dudu in Joypurhat-1, Anwarul Azim Anar replaced Abdul Mannan in Jhenidah-4, Ishtiaq Ahmed replaced Abul Kalam Azad in Jamalpur-1, Jonaed Ahmed Polok replaced Anis Ali Sheikh in Natore-3 and Khaledur Rahman Tito replaced Ali Reza Raju in Jessore-3, Principal Shah Alam replaced Habibur Rahman Sheikh in Pirojpur-2.

Anwarul Azim Anwar (Jhenidah-4), Tajul Islam Faruque (Rajshahi-5), Azizul Haque Chowdhury (Dinajpur-6), Rajshahi University VC Dr Abdul Khaleque (Rajshahi-2), Abdur Rahman Bodi (Cox's Bazar-4), Dewan Shafiul Arefin Tutul for (Manikgonj-4) also secured nomination replacing former nominees in the respective seats.

Most reformist leaders remain blacklisted

Staff Reporter

Most of the reformist leaders of BNP have failed to secure party nomination yesterday for the forthcoming parliamentary elections on December 29.

Sources of BNP admitted that most of the 'reformist' approached party high ups for nomination but their efforts went in vain.

Among the so-called reformists who managed a slot in the list of nominees are party stalwarts, former finance minister M Saifur Rahman, ex-minister Maj (retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed and former parliamentary defence committee chairman Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman.

Those who were denied nominations include former education minister Osman Faruque, former state ministers Shah Mohammad Abul Hossain, professor Rezaul Karim and Mosharef Hossain Shahjahan, former whip Rezaul Bari Deena, and former MPs Abdul Alim, Nazir Hossain, Ataur Rahman Angur, Mosharraf Hossain Mangu, Fazlul Azim, SA Sultan Titu, Dr Ziaul Huq Molla, Masud Arun, Abdul Ghani, GM Mohammad Siraj, Kazi Rafiqul Islam and Sarder Sakhawat Hossain Bakul.

The BNP chairperson's adviser Maj Gen (retd) ZA Khan, BNP assistant office secretary Emran Saleh Prince and party officials AHM Mofazzal Karim, MA Hakim and Dr Mushfiqur Rahman also failed to win party nominations.

Among 'pro-reform' party veterans sacked last year, former secretary general Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, former joint secretary Ashraf Hossain and former office secretary Mofiqul Hasan Tripty remain black-listed.

Former secretary general Mannan Bhuiyan made a 21-point reform proposal on June 25 this year for wider democratic practices within the party.

This caused a split within the party and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Sept 3 last year, just prior to her arrest, replaced Bhuiyan with Khandker Delwar Hossain as the party Secretary General.

Printing of voter list to cost major portion of poll expense

Staff Reporter

A major portion of election expenses of this year's candidates' will go to print voter lists letting the candidates to spend more than the limit. This year the Election Commission (EC) did not supply printed voter lists to the candidates, which may cost them from Tk 1.5 lakh to 3 lakh.

This year EC has supplied only Compact Disc (CD) of voter lists instead of printed one. In the previous elections the EC has supplied printed voter lists to the candidates.

Now the candidates are printing the voter lists from the CDs. In each page they can print names of 30 voters. To print one set of voter list the candidates will have to print 6 thousand to 20 thousand pages. The printing cost of each page in Dhaka is Tk 4 to Tk 5 while outside Dhaka it is double. According to the EC rule a candidate can spend only Tk 5 for each voter.

EC sources said in the 300 constituencies each contains voter ranging from 1.5 lakh to 6 lakh. Of them 23 constituencies have voter below 2 lakh, 186 contains voter between 2 and 3 lakh and 81 constituencies have voter more than 3 lakh.

According to the delimitation of constituencies the lowest number of voters are in Chittagong-16. It has 1-lakh 52 thousand and 980 voters. Candidates of this constituency can spend Tk 7.64 lakh if they spend Tk 5 for each voter. To print a set of voter list candidates will have to spend Tk 2.5 lakh to Tk 3 lakh. For 8 to 10 sets of voter lists they will have to spend nearly Tk 2.5 lakh to Tk 3 lakh.

According to the press and photocopier businessmen the voter list printing costs in the constituencies that have voters more than 3 lakh may cost candidates more than Tk 3 lakh. Besides it may cost more than Tk 1 crore if a political party want to print a set of voter list. According to the EC law a political party can spend no more than Tk 4.5 crore if it gives candidate in 300 constituencies.

Cancellation of 28th BCS demanded

DU Correspondent

A group of students who had appeared for the recently held 28th Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) examination demanded cancellation of the examination saying that the question pattern was contradictory to the circular issued by the PSC.

The students staged a demonstration at the foot of the Aparajeyo Bangla on the Dhaka University Campus yesterday.

"They claimed that the authority prepared the 28th BCS preliminary question papers flouting code of conduct to give opportunity a special class. The question was created haphazardly at their sweet will", they said.

"Dr Shadat Hossain, Chairman of the Public Service Commission who made the question paper which was absolutely unprecedented. We never had seen such question paper before", they added.

They urged the cancellation of the 28th BCS examination as well as resignation of controversial chairman of the PSC.

They also demanded closing of all BCS caching centers and all activities of the World Bank and ADB in regard to this.

At the end of the programme, a possession marched thoughout the campus.