The New Nation - Internet Edition

Pre-poll security measures taken: Army deployment complete

Troops were deployed in the city as elsewhere to
ensure security ahead of December 29 election. NN
photo

Staff Reporter

The countrywide deployment of army troops in aid of the civil administration to hold the December 29 parliamentary elections in a free and fair manner completes today.

"During elections, the troops will act as striking force to ensure security for the election," Election Commissioner Brig Gen (Retd) M Sakhawat Hossain told The New Nation last night.

He said the troops that moved out of their barracks on December 18 would now move to their respective zones to acclimatise themselves with the areas.

The Election Commissioner said the troops will act at the directives of the Returning Officers concerned.

The EC decided to move troops out of the barracks from December 18, two days earlier than the scheduled date sensing sabotage attacks in the intervening period as the state of emergency was lifted on December 17.

"We have decided to deploy the troops on December 20 instead of December 24 on the basis of reports that there is a possibility that law and order might deteriorate," Sakhawat Hossain told reporters earlier.

He said an intelligence agency has expressed fears that some militant groups could resurface to create law and order situation.

Regarding early deployment of army, he said the precautionary measure to deploy army in advance is being taken in view of the reports in print and electronic media as well as intelligence agencies.

The Government pulled soldiers back to the barracks weeks before ending the emergency, but decided to re-deploy them from December 18 and continue till one week after the polls.

Meanwhile, Army Chief General Moeen U Ahmed on Wednesday asked people to remain vigilant against terrorists and inform law enforcement agencies of anything suspicious.

Khaleda alleges media control by unseen hand

BNP chief Begum Khaleda Zia addressing a rally at
Kamrangirchar on Friday. Banglar Chokh

UNB, Rajshahi

BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia has alleged control of media by unseen hands to blackout what she called her extensive electioneering and cautioned that consequences will not be good in case of any rigging.

"I've been campaigning day and night. Defying chilly weather people came out and cameramen accompanying me took pictures with all hardships, but where all those pictures have gone?" she questioned while addressing a big election rally at Rajshahi Collegiate School ground at 1:30am yesterday seeking votes for BNP candidate Mizanur Rahman Minu.

Khaleda, who was on a two-day whirlwind election trail in northern districts, alleged some unseen hands are doing the mischief and are controlling the media. "Who were doing this and why? People will know about it one day," she said.

She said the government had announced that equal election coverage will be ensured, but actually they are behaving step-motherly with BNP. "Enough doubts and confusions are surfacing. But consequences will not be good if they take recourse to rigging."

The BNP chairperson said braving cold winter in the northern region people came out of their houses in favour of BNP as they want elections. So long people could not voice their protest and anger against various problems owing to the state of emergency.

She said whenever the country had faced any crisis people came out to salvage the situation. This time round also the people will unitedly face any crisis.

Khaleda said many conspiracies were hatched to split her party but BNP men could not register their protests because the emergency was in place. The BNP stands united due to grass-root level leaders and workers, she added.

The BNP leader said people want to live in peace and see their problems resolved. This could only be possible by a democratically elected government. "If elections are free and fair, BNP and its alliance will again go to power."

Later, Khaleda addressed election rallies till Friday morning campaigning for BNP candidates. The rallies were at Godagari Women College ground for Rajshahi-1 candidate Dr Enamul Huq, Chapainawabganj Municipal Park for candidates in Chapainawabganj 1-2-3, Sarda College ground for Rajshahi-6, Putia High School ground for Rajshahi-5 and at Kanaikhali for Natore-2 and 3 candidates Sabina Yasmin and Kazi Golam Morshed.

The BNP chairperson addressed her last election rally at Bonpara Kalikapur Primary School ground at 6:30am for Natore-4 BNP candidate Mozammel Huq.

Meanwhile, Khaleda returned to the capital at 1:30pm yesterday.

Help curb corruption, militancy: Hasina

Awami League chief Sheikh Hasian addressing a rally
in Jessore on Friday. Banglar Chokh

Staff Reporter

Awami League (AL) president Sheikh Hasina yesterday called upon the people to vote for AL and its allies to curb corruption, to address militancy for building a prosperous and secular Bangladesh.

Hasina made this call while addressing a large public gathering at Narail on the last day of her election tour in the southern zone of the country accompanied by younger sister Sheikh Rehana and niece Azmina Siddique Rupanti.

In the meeting she introduced the grand alliance candidate Workers Party general secretary Bimal Biswas contesting the polls from Narail-1 constituency.

Hasina said, "The immediate past BNP-Jamaat government plundered the country's assets and transferred those abroad. Now time has come to take decision whether you will choose the plunderers or the pro-liberation force to safeguard the sovereignty and independence of the country."

She also pledged to introduce free education from graduate level and keeping the price of daily essentials within the buying capacity of the people, if AL is voted to power.

To the people of Narail Hasina said, "I am fully aware of the problems of the local people, as I was elected from this region at least two times in past. If AL was voted to power, I myself will take the responsibility to ensure the development of this region."

She also introduced another AL candidate SK Abu Baker, a retired Brig. Gen., contesting the polls from the constituency of Narail-2."

The AL workers and supporters assembled for the meeting on time marching in small processions and braving the biting cold and foggy weather.

She also addressed another public meeting at Jessore Eid-Gha Maidan, where she also alleged that at least 11,000 AL leaders and supporters were killed during the BNP-Jamaat government.

Referring to BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia's comments that the number of people attending in the AL rallies is poor, Hasina urged Khaleda Zia to come and see

the huge gathering at the meeting and said that if she did not come, a video footage of the meeting will be sent to her.

Indicating Khaleda she said, " she is too much angry after being failed to arrange a stage-managed farcical elections with 1.30 crore fake voters on January 22."

Hasina also thanked the caretaker government and the army for preparing a digital voter lists with photos. However, she said the caretaker government has failed to check the price-hike of essentials.

The Awami League president promised to construct a bridge over the Madhumati River between Gopalganj and Narail.

Hasina left Dhaka on the Victory Day to conduct electoral campaign in the southwest part of the country. She started campaign programmes from her home District Gopalgonj and ended at Jessore via Khulna, Bagerhat, Magura, and Faridpur.

She returned Dhaka last night after four days electoral campaign tour.

Hasina is scheduled to address public meeting at Kamringircahr and Motijeel in the capital today.

Foggy weather to continue for 2 more days

Cold bites severer than hunger. City dwellers,
especially the homeless ones, are experiencing this bite
over last five days, Photo shows a forlorn mother with two
of her cold bitten children on the Dhaka protection dam.
Banglar Chokh

UNB, Dhaka

The sweeping foggy weather coupled with shivering cold would continue for at least two days more in the country's northern and central parts.

"The sun is hardly visible during daytime due to thick fog, causing nearly the same temperature during day and night in northern districts like Rangpur, Dinajpur, Bogra and Mymensingh, and the central parts, including Dhaka, Shariatpur, Madaripur and Comilla," meteorologist Abdul Mannan told UNB yesterday.

He said in most places of the regions the night temperature is 3-4 degrees lower than the normal temperature due to the foggy weather.

Mannan, however, said this is not cold wave, but foggy weather that started on December 10 and deteriorated Thursday (Dec 18).

He forecast that the situation may improve after two days when the day temperature would rise while the night temperature fall 3-4 degrees Celsius.

In its today's bulletin, the Met Office said the country's highest temperature 28.5 degrees Celsius was recorded in Sylhet, while the lowest 13.5 in Srimongal.

Meanwhile, the sweeping cold has disrupted normal life in the country' s northern region and the central parts, forcing many people to stay indoors during the weekend.

Hospital sources said the rush of patients, mostly children, affected by cold-related diseases has marked a rise in the last few days due to the bad weather.

Traffic movement on roads, highways and waterways and air flights were also being disrupted due to poor visibility caused by thick fogs.

Ferry services on different routes were also being disrupted everyday, inflicting immense sufferings on long-haul passengers and causing huge traffic jams.

Nixon-era Watergate informant dies

Mark Felt and his daughter Joan

BBC Online

Mark Felt, the former FBI official who revealed himself to be Deep Throat, the source that exposed the Nixon-era Watergate scandal, has died.

His family says he died at a hospice near his home in California, aged 95.

Deep Throat helped reporters from the Washington Post newspaper uncover abuses of presidential powers in the Nixon White House. The scandal ultimately led President Richard Nixon to resign in disgrace in August 1974.

Felt's daughter Joan told the Washington Post that her father "slipped away" in his sleep.

According to the newspaper, he had suffered two strokes in recent years, and his memory of the Watergate era had almost completely vanished because of Alzheimer's disease.

Mystery surrounded the identity of Deep Throat - named after a popular pornographic movie of the time - for decades, until Mark Felt admitted being the source in 2005.

"I'm the guy they used to call Deep Throat," he told the US magazine Vanity Fair in an article that revealed his secret.

Until then, the Washington Post had refused to confirm his identity.

Reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein had said they would only break their silence after his death.

He secretly guided the journalists as they investigated a burglary at the Democratic National Committee HQ in Washington's Watergate complex in June 1972.

The break-in was traced to members of a Nixon-support group, the Committee to Re-elect the President.

Further inquiries unearthed a web of political spying, sabotage and bribery that led all the way to the White House and, eventually, President Nixon's resignation.

It is not known exactly why Felt decided to leak damaging secrets but the Washington Post said he detested the Nixon administration's attempts to subvert the FBI's investigations into the crimes and cover ups.

According to the Post, Felt had insisted on remaining completely anonymous, or on "deep background". He was dubbed Deep Throat by a newspaper editor.

Felt is said to have struggled for many years with the consequences of his actions, fearing he betrayed his FBI badge by disclosing government secrets.

Critics called him a traitor for betraying the Commander-in-Chief. His supporters insist Felt was a hero for blowing the whistle on a corrupt administration.

City cops to get hi-tech walkie-talkies

Mamunur Rashid

To ensure fool proof security to the city dwellers and to reduce the rate of crimes in the capital, the DMP is going to set up digital WiMAX technologies with 2000 new walkie-talkies for the law enforcement agencies.

According to the Department of Telecom of the Police, DMP has decided to distribute 1,500 hi-tech walkie-talkie sets for the police personnel, 30 for patrol vehicles and 120 for the police station in the city.

In the new system, police officials can send call in four ways 1) Group by group call, 2) Individual to individual call, 3) Broadcast call, and 4) Emergency calls.

At present police radio communication is in the manual system walkie-talkie, where all police officials of the DMP could listen to any particular call and sometime confidential messages may be leaked out.

Moreover, police officials spend most of their duty hours glued to their walkie-talkies.

In the first step the two systems-digital phone and manual system of the walkie-talkies-will be used in tandem. Later, the system would be digitalized to improve the efficiency of the police department even further, sources said.

The new system offers some facilities: if any walkie-talkie set gets lost the control room can easily disconnect the individual set ID from the network, whereas, in the old system, the entire walkie-talkie communication system collapses.

The most appealing aspect of the walkie-talkie set is that if any one calls the police from a trouble spot, the message gets relayed to the patrol police vehicles instantly, which can rush to the spot and rescue the person from the situation.

AIG (Telecom) Alim Ahmed told the New Nation that command control and communication system for secure compactness panels will be fully established within March 2009 and 85 per cent of the work has already been completed.

Anup Chetia seeks UNHCR refugee status

Mamunur Rashid

ULFA leader Anup Chetia, has appealed to the UN to grant him refugee status and political asylum in a 'safe country' in the event of his release from prison.

"Spending 10 years and eight months in Bangladesh prison has taken its toll. I am craving for a normal existence. However, I appreciate that my life is not safe even in Bangladesh if I am allowed to leave the four walls of the prison safety," Chetia wrote in a letter to the Geneva-based United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Therefore, I am appealing to you for the kind and considered intervention of your esteemed office for granting me a refugee status and political asylum in a safe country," Chetia further wrote in the letter to UNHCR.

"I am being held in the Kashimpur Jail in the outskirts of Dhaka. The irony is that I am no longer a convict to be held in a jail as I had completed my seven years of imprisonment for entering Bangladesh illegally carrying foreign currencies and a satellite phone," he said in his letter to UNHCR High Commissioner Antonio Guterres.

"India has been pressurising Bangladesh government from the very beginning of my arrest in this country to hand me over to them. But as I have renounced my Indian nationality and there is no extradition treaty between the two countries, Bangladesh has so far rejected India's request," he wrote.

ACC's briefing on Koko's Singapore money biased: BNP

UNB, Dhaka

BNP joint secretary general Nazrul Islam Khan yesterday termed motivated the Anti-Corruption Commission's (ACC) press briefing on Arafat Rahman Koko's financial transactions in Singapore.

"The ACC's briefing was biased and motivated as it was done before inquiry," he told reporters at the Gulshan office of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia.

Khan alleged that the ACC has been curbing BNP in the name of curbing corruption. "The ACC's briefing on Koko's alleged money is part of that."

"The ACC even didn't authenticate the allegation," he said adding that ACC director general Col Hanif Iqbal who briefed the press did not answer to many questions from reporters.

Khan said the ACC move was to turn around the mass tide already created in favour of "sheaf of paddy", the election symbol of BNP. It was also designed to create an opportunity for BNP's political opponents.

He urged the ACC and the caretaker government to refrain from any political stunt.

Referring to Sheikh Hasina and HM Ershad's comments against BNP during the campaign, Khan urged the leaders not to make bitter comments which are violation of the election code of conduct. He hoped the Election Commission will take note of it.

On Thursday, Col Iqbal told reporters that the transactions (made by Koko) are under inquiry and the inquiry officer has been appointed. He said the ACC decided to initiate legal process about details of transactions in Singapore about which information received from Singaporean authorities.

Col Iqbal said the Commission would also look into Koko's transactions of S$ 2,061,093 and US$ 261,477 equivalent to some Tk 11.6 crore, the amount temporarily frozen by authorities in Singapore.

City campaigning in top gear

Pulack Ghatack

Electioneering has picked up in the city as elsewhere in the country nine days ahead of the parliamentary polls on December 29, as the candidates and canvassers are passing sleepless nights in their effort to draw as many voters in their favour.

Election issues dominate talks in the public places like hat, bazars, tea-stalls, restaurants and other public places both in the city and its outskirts. Canvassers are seen knocking doors and fraternising with the general voters.

In the campaign race, BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia seems to have advanced with her round-the-clock countrywide hustings, when her rival Awami League President Sheikh Hasina is addressing fewer rallies for security reasons.

Sheikh Hasina's effort to reach out to the voters through video- conferences and internet is yet to prove its efficacy, as people have little access to hi-tech means.

However, the restricted movement of Hasina is being partially covered by Jatiya Party Chairman and former president HM Ershad, who joined the Awami League-led grand alliance.

The electioneering officially started on December 12 with the lifting of restrictions on processions and rallies.

Though the Government lifted the state of emergency on Wednesday, the festivity of electioneering was relatively subdued, thanks to the tight code of conduct imposed by the Election Commission.

Use of loudspeakers is prohibited before 2.00pm and after 8.00pm this year, which is a welcome relief from the usual electoral noise pollution.

The candidates are also not allowed to bring out campaign motorcades or any other vehicular procession for the purpose.

The residents of the capital otherwise used to pre-poll chaos were excited about the elections, as the new code also ensured no graffiti and colourful posters on their walls and no decorated campaign gates on the roads resulting in less traffic jams than any other previous elections.

Candidates have hung huge number of black and white posters from ropes creating a canopy on most of roads and lanes in the old part of the city.

Though a total of 144 candidates are contesting in the 15 constituencies in the capital the elections will be mainly limited to the Mohajote and the four-party alliance candidates, election analysts say.