The New Nation - Internet Edition

Election campaign reaches peak in Manikganj

Our Correspondent, Manikganj

The election campaign in Manikganj district is in top gear as all the candidates of the three constituencies are wrapping up their electioneering as the voting day is nearing.

The tea shops, restaurants and other places like clubs, everywhere there are discussions, who will win or who will loss the poll slated for December 29, but no conclusion. The conclusion will be available on the night of December 29 ending all discussions and debates.

Supporters of both the major alliances-the Grand Alliance led by Sheikh Hasina and the four-party combine by Begum Khaleda Zia are hopeful of winning the poll, but the general people want honest and competent candidates win the poll, who will be able to bring more development work for the district.

This year following demarcations three seats were made from previously four constituencies. Everywhere in all the constituencies, a festive mood is prevailing in the district as the polling day is approaching nearer. The entire district wore a different look with posters, election symbols, banners hung everywhere in the district.

The manikganj-1 constituency is formed with parts of three upazilas-Greor, Daulatpur and Shibalaya.

The number of voters of the seat is 301,236. Three candidates are on the race for the seat. Two candidates are from the two alliances and one is an independent candidate.

The BNP Secretary General Khondaker Delwar are contesting from this seat.

All the candidate are passing busy days as they are on their arms to give a final touch in their electioneering.

They go out of their homes early in the morning and returns home after midnight. The whole day, they address public meetings, visit house to house to woo the voters making different promises to meet if elected.

Manikganj-2 constituency is constituted with two upazilas where voters were counted over three lakh, but the constituency is called the fort of BNP. This time the daughter of Monno group Afroza Khan Rita is one of the three candidates of the seat. Grand Alliance has put businessman and JP candidate MA Mannan. In this seat there is a rebeal candidate of BNP Engineer Naimul Islam Shanto, who is also former MP.

Manikganj-3 constituency is made of Sadar and Saturia Upazila where six candidates are vying for the seat. But the fight will be held directly between the Grand Alliance and the four-party combine.

Preparations completed to hold election in Narsingdi

Our Correspondent, Narsingdi

The Election Commission (EC) and the district administration have completed preparations to hold the 9th parliamentary poll on December 29 in a peaceful manner.

The local EC office said they have completed the process of appointing presiding officers, assistant presiding officers and polling officers.

The sources said a total of 501 polling centers with 2,266 polling booths will be set up for holding the election in five constituencies of the district.

For smooth holding of the poll in the district, a total of 501 presiding officers, 2,266 assistant presiding officers and 4,532 polling officers were appointed.

A total of 96 polling centres will be set up in Narsingdi-1 constituency where 96 presiding officers, 507 assistant presiding officers and 1014 polling officers will be posted.

In Narsinghi-2 seat, 77 polling centres will be set up where 77 presiding officers, 393 assistant presiding officers and 786 polling officers have been posted, In Narsingdi-3 constituency, 84 polling centers will be set where a total of 84 presiding officers, 380 assistant presiding officers and 760 polling officers were appointed.

In Narsinghdi -4, 115 polling centres will be set up where a total of 115 presiding officers, 508 assistant presiding officers and 1016 polling officers were appointed.

In Narsinghdi 5 constituency, a total of 129 polling centres will be set up where 129 presiding officers, 478 assistant presiding officers and 956 polling officers were appointed.

The presiding officers, assistant presiding officers and polling officers have been imparted training to conduct the vote in a free, fair and impartial manner.

Thirty candidates, including former LGRD Adviser and former secretary general ( Abdul Mannan Bhuyian, minister Abdul Moin Khan, former MP, Rajinuddin Ahmed Raju, former MP Khairul Kabir Khokan, Lt Col.(ret) Nurul Islam and Lt Col.(ret) Joynal abedin are on race.

Govt determined to hold free and transparent national poll

BSS, Gaibandha

Rajshahi Divisional Commissioner M Hafizur Rahman Bhuyan in a function on Tuesday said the government is fully determined to hold a free, fair, peaceful, credible and transparent national election on December 29 for building a corruption, terrorism, anarchy, influence of black money and muscle power-free country.

"It is our foremost duty to present an acceptable general polls wherein people's hopes and aspirations and expectation will be properly reflected".

M, Hafizur Rahman Bhuiyan said this in a views exchange meeting organised by District Administration at the conference room of deputy commissioner (DC) here on December 23 as chief guest.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Rajshahi Range M Mokhlesur Rahman was present as special guest.

Speaking on the occasion, Divisional Commissioner called upon the officials concerned to carry out their election duties with utmost sincerity, honesty and complete neutrality rising above all sorts of fear, greed and influences.

DIG of Police directed the police officials to take necessary security measures on the day of the election so that the voters could cast their votes safely.

Presided over by DC Abu Muhammad Yousuf, the meeting was also attended among others, by Lt Colonel M Ahsanuzzaman, police super SM Monir-Uz-Zaman, ADC (General) Abul Bayes Miah, all UNOs and officers in charge of the district and other officials of the district administration.

Tk 44 cr for Chandpur town protection scheme

BSS, Chandpur

The government has sanctioned Taka 44 crore for Chandpur town protection scheme during the current season.

Bangladesh Water Development Board Chandpur office sources said 2,700 metre area at Natun Bazar and Puranbazar of Chandpur town will be protected by dumping blocks in the river Meghna. So far, 2,10,000 RCC blocks were dumped in the erosion area.

About eighty per cent works of the scheme have been completed and the rest are expected to be completed by June 2009.

The work of Haimchar upazila protection scheme will begin from next financial year.

22 held on various charges in Rajshahi

BSS, Rajshahi

Police, in anticrime drives, rounded up 22 persons on various charges from different areas in city and nine upazilas of the district in last 24 hours till on Thursday evening, police said.

Of them, 10 were arrested from different areas in the metropolis while 12 others from nine upazilas.

Apart from this, traffic police lodged 37 cases under the motor vehicles ordinance and seized a motorbike without registration during drives against the non-registered motor vehicles and other document related malpractices in different parts of the city during the time.

2 held with Indian rupees in Dinajppur

UNB, Dinajpur

Police and RAB, in a joint drive, arrested two people along with 65,400 Indian rupees from a residential hotel in the district town early Wednesday. Police said they raided the hotel at Station Road and arrested Shimul Kumar Saha, 27, and Uzzal, 40, at about 2 am. The law enforcers recovered some 65,400 rupees after searching their luggage. But police suspected that the notes of various denominations might be fake as some notes have been found bearing the same numbers.

Shimul Kumar Saha hailed from Monkosha village and Uzzal from Chowdhury para in Shibganj upazila of Chapainawabganj district. A case was filed in this connection.

Uncertain fear hunting Jessore voters

Our Correspondent, Jessore

An uncertain fear is hunting the voters of Jessore as the voting day is approaching nearer

The identified terrorists, who were on the run for long time, are surfacing and returning to their areas. Moreover explosives are making their way to Bangladesh from across the border, but the police are assuring the people saying that the voting will be completely peaceful here.

Any terrorists surface, they will be arrested. Jessore is all along considered a sensitive areas as the area are infested with activists of the underground banned parties.

Bombing at Udichi concert, series bomb blasts, newsmen killings and other destructive activities occurred in the area in the past.

Whenever elections come, the underground parties become active in the areas. The extremists in the past had threatened the voters.

Voters complained as the voting day is approaching nearer, the extremists are surfacing from hiding. Many of the extremists were arrested by police, but many of them have been freed. For these reasons the voters of Jessore have become very concerned .

On Sunday morning, members of the RAB recover 10 kgs gun powder from the villages Sharsha Goga Kaliani. Prior to this, RAB and police recently recovered gun powder and time bomb. But none could be arrested in the case. Police also recovered three time bomb from the villageChatkapota under Sharsha. Members of the bomb experts of Bangladesh army examined the bombs.

Victory Day observed in Naogaon

Our Correspondent, Naogaon

The Victory day was observed in Naogaon district as elsewhere in the country with a fresh vow to safeguard the hard earned independence and sovereignty of the country.

The local administration, different political parties and socio-cultural bodies took different programmes to celebrate the day with due honour.

The national flag was hoisted atop all public and private buildings at dawn. Naogaon district Mukti Joddha brought out a procession, which marched through main streets of the town.

Later, a discussion meeting was held on the significance of the day. A musical soiree followed the discussion meeting held on the local central Shaheed Minar premises, in which prominent freedom fighters, former commerce minister and General Secretary of Awami League(AL) Abdul Jalil was present as the chief guest. The meeting was presided over by freedom fighter Mozammel Huq.

The district administration accorded a reception to the freedom fighters of the district, family members of the martyred freedom fighters and disable freedom fighters at Mukti Manch at the old court premises. The reception was presided over by Deputy Commander of the Naogaon district Mukti Joddha Sangsad, SM Serajul Islam.

Deputy Commissioner of the district Md Ahsan Habib Talukder and Police Super Mofazzal Hossain attended the reception at the chief guest and special guest respectively.

Later, the Deputy Commissioner distributed gifts to the members of the martyred freedom fighters, disable freedom fighters.

2 killed 16 hurt in Jessore road mishap

BSS, Benapole

Two persons were killed and 16 others injured as a passenger bus and a tempo collided head-on at Hashimpur on Jessore-Magura road this morning.

The dead were identified as Mizan, 40, of Ramkrisnapur village under Jessore sadar upzaila and Abdul Wahab, 55, of Arpara village of the same upzaila.

Police said the accident took place when a Jessore-bound speeding bus from Magura collided head-on with a tempo near Hashimpur High School of the area leaving Mizan killed on the spot and 17 others wounded. Local people rushed seriously injured to Jessore General Hospital where one of the injured Wahab succumbed to his injuries.

The other injured, who are admitted to hospital are: Fazlu, 20, Abdullah, 19, Suvrada, 30, Shahida, 30, Babul Akhter, 25, Mim, 18, Ridoy, 20, Abdur Rahman, 21, Amena Begum, 50, Abdul, 45, Anwara, 35, Malek, 60, Kartik, 40, Rtia, 35, Sarwasati, 50 and Monoranjan, 50. Hospital sources said condition of some of the inured was critical.

Smuggled goods worth

Tk 23 lakh recovered in Chuadanga

BSS, Chuadanga

Members of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) recovered Indian smuggled goods worth Taka twenty-three lakh from village Patachora under Damurhuda upazila of the district on Sunday night.

BDR sources said, acting on a secret information, a team of the BDR headed by Habildar Shafiqul Islam of Uthali Special BDR camp rushed to the spot and recovered the smuggled goods. The recovered Indian goods include spare parts of television, imitation ornaments, milk powder and cumin-seed. None was arrested in this connection.

A case was filed with Damurhuda Thana.

Call to discharge election duties with sincerity

BSS, Gaibandha

Deputy Commissioner (DC) of the district Abu Muhammad Yousuf in a function on Thursday urged the officials to discharge their duties with utmost honesty and sincerity during the upcoming parliamentary and upazila parishad polls.

"The present government is fully determined to hold free, fair, credible and transparent elections wherein people's hopes, aspirations and expectations will be reflected properly".

The DC said this at the inaugural function of a 3-day long election training for the presiding officers, assistant presiding officers and poling officers organized by Sadar upazila administration here on Thursday as the chief guest.

Presided over by Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Arif Nazmul Hasan, the function was also attended, among others, by assistant commissioner (Land) and acting sadar upazila election officer and other upazila election officers of the district.

A total of 97 presiding officers, 716 assistant presiding officers and 1472 polling officers are taking part in the training in different batches, the sources said.

News Briefs

UNO of Lalmonirhat sadar upazila stand released

Lalmonirhat, Dec 25 : Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) and assistant returning officer of Sadar upazila was stand released on Thursday on charge of political bias in election activities. UNO K M Ali Newajesh was stand released and made OSD following an allegation by grand alliance candidate of sadar constituency G M Qader. Assistant Commissioner of Barisal Md Rajamiah has been given the charge of the upazila. Deputy Commissioner M Alauddin Fakir confirmed the incident, report UNB.

One held with firearms in Rajbari

Rajbari, Dec 25 :A JCD leader and former VP of Rajbari Government College Students' Union was arrested along with a firearm and bullets from his village at Baraijuri in Sadar upazila on Tuesday. Acting on a tip-off, plain clothed police arrested Abdul Malek, 35, along with a foreign-made pistol and four rounds of bullet from near a bridge in the evening. EX VP Abdul Malek, locally known as Balu Dakat, was wanted in a number of cases, police said, report UNB.

2 killed in road mishaps

Satkhira, Dec 25 : A man was crushed under the wheels of a bus at Komorpur in sadar upazila here Wednesday. The deceased was identified as Rezaul Islam Gazi, 40, of Pikegachha upazila of Khulna district. Police said an Assasuni bound bus ran over Rezaul when he was returning home from the district town by a rented motorbike. Police recovered the body and sent it to Sadar hospital morgue for autopsy, report UNB.

Minar girls crushed

under wheels of microbus

Bagerhat, 25 Dec: A minor girl was crushed under the wheels of a motorbike at Bhashabazar in Kachua upazila on Wednesday. The dead was identified as Laboni Akther Khadiza, 7, daughter of Iliyas Sheikh of Dhopakhali village. Witnesses said when Laboni was returning home from school the speedy motorbike knocked her down, killing her on the spot. Police recovered the body and sent it to hospital morgue, report UNB.

Timber smuggler held from Sundarbans

Bagerhat, Dec 25: Forest guards arrested a smuggler along with 60 cft sunduri timbers from near Chandeshwari outpost in Sharankhola range of Sundarbans on Monday. Forest office sources said the guards arrested Maznu Farazi, 34, of Sonatala village in Sharankhola upazila along with 18 thick pieces of sunduri timbers in the afternoon when he and his accomplices were smuggling those from the forest. Other associates of Maznu managed to flee the scene. A case was filed, report UNB.

Youth's body found in Satkhira

Satkhira, Dec 25 : Body of an unidentified youth was recovered from Ichhmati river in Devhata upazila Wednesday. Local people found the body floating in the river and informed the police. Police later recovered the body and sent it to hospital morgue for autopsy. Police suspected that he was tortured to death by Indian BSF, report UNB.