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The cabinet of president and chief adviser Iajuddin Ahmed reached consensus on Thursday to address the controversy regarding the Election Commission that has arisen out of the Awami League-led alliance’s demands to reconstitute the commission.
   But even after two rounds of hectic meetings held at Bangabhaban, the council of advisers was divided on whether the interim government should ask Justice MA Aziz, the controversial chief election commissioner, to step aside, sources in the cabinet told New Age.
   The cabinet also could not converge on a decision as to if there are any legal provisions that would enable the government to replace the chief election commissioner and the other election commissioners.
   With the advisers working overtime to find a legal way out of the stalemate that has seen the BNP-led alliance saying there is neither any reason nor any legal provision, given that the commissioners hold constitutional posts, to reconstitute the Election Commission, the cabinet sent a two-member delegation to meet the AL president, Sheikh Hasina, late Thursday.
   Two advisers, Sultana Kamal and CM Shafi Sami, met with Hasina at her Sudha Sadan residence in Dhanmondi to convey the message that the cabinet was considering reconstitution of the commission and asked Hasina to provide a legal way out of the stalemate.
   The advisers, handing over a letter from the president, also asked Hasina to consider not announcing any renewed agitation programmes from her alliance’s rally in the capital today given that the interim administration was dealing with her charter of demands with sincerity.
   Meanwhile, the BNP chairperson, Khaleda Zia, was ‘annoyed’ by the two advisers’ meeting with Hasina, a source close to the BNP leader told New Age.
   ‘How can [the advisers] visit a party leaders’ residence?’ Khaleda was quoted as saying to her political aides Thursday evening. ‘The caretaker government can invite representatives of respective parties to the Chief Adviser’s Office if they want to.’
   Sultana and Sami went to Sudha Sadan in an unmarked white private car at about 9:40pm, immediately after the second cabinet meeting of the day, and left the spot at 10:50pm in the same car. The advisers did not use their flag cars or security protocol during the visit.
   When contacted over telephone, Sultana told New Age Thursday evening, ‘The meeting of the council of advisers assigned us to meet Sheikh Hasina to convey to her the cabinet’s decision of making the Election Commission effective.
   ‘The cabinet and the chief adviser also assigned us to convey to Hasina the cabinet’s request not to go for immediate agitation programmes, as the cabinet has already started working on reconstitution of the Election Commission, which is the major demand of the AL-led combine,’ she said.
   According to sources, Awami League general secretary Abdul Jalil, alliance leader Kamal Hossain, AL leader and president of the Supreme Court Bar Association M Amirul Islam, and vice-chairman of the Bar Council Rokanuddin Mahmud were also present at the meeting.
   Before the two advisers’ visit to Hasina, the cabinet held a 90-minute special meeting on Thursday evening following another hour-long meeting in the afternoon.
   According to sources present, both the meetings discussed the overall issues relating to holding a free and fair election and reconstitution of the Election Commission in particular.
   Although the cabinet decided unanimously to make the commission effective, as the circumstances show that there is a lack of confidence on the commission, the advisers could not reach a consensus over the mechanism.
   Some of the advisers favoured reconstitution of the commission by requesting the chief election commissioner, Justice MA Aziz, and the other election commissioners to resign, while some others opined that there would be some constitutional barriers to remove the CEC and his colleagues.
   Cabinet sources said some of the advisers, led by Sultana Kamal and Dr Akbar Ali Khan, expressed views in favour of asking Justice Aziz, who the Awami league has branded as partisan and whose actions have been claimed by many to be contentious, to step aside ‘in the greater interest of the nation’.
   Some other advisers, however, raised the point that the office of the chief election commissioner is a constitutional post and the incumbent as such ‘cannot be sacked by the government’.
   Adviser Justice Fazlul Huq was most vocal in his opposition to the idea of the president ‘requesting’ the chief election commissioner to step aside.
   After long discussions going back and forth, the cabinet decided to send Sultana and Sami to meet with Hasina and ask her to provide a legal way out of the stalemate.

The urgency with which the interim government is dealing with the AL-led alliance’s demand to reconstitute the Election Commission was stepped up on Thursday after the council of advisers pressed the president and chief adviser, Iajuddin Ahmed, to act on the matter immediately, New Age has learnt.
   Sources within the caretaker cabinet told New Age that members of the cabinet held an ‘unofficial’ meeting among themselves on Wednesday in order to hear out each others’ views on the chief election commissioner, Justice MA Aziz, and whether the president should ask him to step aside.
   The meeting, held at the residence of one of the advisers, could not converge on a solution to be proposed to Iajuddin, but all the advisers agreed that this was an issue that has to be dealt with, either way, at the earliest.
   Meeting sources claimed that certain advisers pleaded the case for Justice Aziz’s removal and certain others said that he should be allowed to stay. A number of advisers also changed their minds on the issue, being convinced by the case for Justice Aziz to go ‘in the interest of the polls to be acceptable to all’.
   The sources further claimed that a united front was presented to Iajuddin on Thursday, with all the advisers opining that the issue should be settled by the end of the day.
   Although the differences remained among the advisers on whether to ask the chief election commissioner to step aside or not, the advisers pushed through the agenda of wanting to come to a solution at the two cabinet meetings held on Thursday.
   The Awami League-led alliance has set a deadline of today for the caretaker government to address their charter of demands that includes the removal of Justice Aziz. The BNP-led alliance, however, thinks the chief election commissioner is neutral and should not be asked to leave his constitutional post.

The chief election commissioner, MA Aziz, on Thursday said that he would ‘see’ if the advisers to the caretaker administration requested him to stand down from the top post of the quasi-judicial body.
   ‘Let the request come first, then I will see,’ the CEC told reporters replying to a question about what he would do if the advisers requested him to resign from the post of the CEC. ‘I have nothing to say about the resignation at the moment. If I have anything to say about it, I will call you first to say that.’
   About the reported opinions of some members of the panel of advisers in favour of reconstitution of the EC, Aziz said ‘I don’t believe they [advisers] said it [reconstitution of election commission]’.
   ‘We came here through a special process and we are working accordingly. Our task will continue until the elections are completed,’ he said.
   The CEC’s comments came amid increasing demand from different quarters, particularly the AL-led alliance, for reconstitution of the Election Commission to ensure a credible general election in January, 2007.
   Akbar Ali Khan, adviser in charge of finance, planning, commerce, and post and telecommunications ministries, told reporters at his finance ministry office on Thursday: ‘If the teams [political parties] don’t want, the referee [CEC] has no right to stay in job.’
   About the AL-led alliance’s demands for removing the Chief Election Commissioner, MA Aziz and his three deputies from the top EC posts, Khan said the interim government would hold talks with all stakeholders to decide on an update of the voters’ roll.
   When his attention was drawn to the comments made by Dr Akbar Ali Khan, the CEC said: ‘Issuing statements is not important. Everyone should keep in mind that this is a constitutional post. I have been working for a free and fair election and I have been following the constitution.’
   Replying to another question, the CEC said: ‘I believe all the advisers know that this is a constitutional post and there are some rules and regulations. The constitution should be followed and I think the advisers know it.
   Asked whether he thought he should do something, at least from the moral point of view, at this stage [about stepping aside], Justice Aziz said: ‘I do not see anything in my hand other than the constitution.’
   When his attention was drawn to the preparation for holding the polls as the 90-day countdown for elections had already began, Aziz said: ‘We are ready. The election will be held on time.’
   About the AL-led alliance’s stance that it would not participate in the elections under his supervision, the CEC said: ‘There is no answer to any hypothetical question.’
   He hoped that all political parties including the AL-led alliance would take part in the polls and requested them to cooperate in holding the polls peacefully.
   ‘I hope that for the sake of continuing the democratic process all will participate in the elections. Insha Allah, we will present a fair election to the nation…I am hundred per cent confident that everybody will join the election,’ he said.
   The CEC on Tuesday said he was discharging a great constitutional responsibility to offer the nation a credible national election and he was not thinking of anything other than election at the moment.

The Awami League-led alliance has apparently softened its position on the ultimatum to the interim government saying that it would now wait for a few more days as the chief adviser, Iajuddin Ahmed, had sought time to create an atmosphere conducive to free and fair election.
   The president, who took over as the chief of the caretaker administration in addition to his presidential duties, requested the AL-led alliance for seven more days so that it [caretaker government] could take all quarters in confidence when a delegation of the alliance met him on Thursday, a member of the delegation told New Age.
   ‘The president listened to our demands and sought a few more days,’ Mohammad Nurul Islam, president of Ganatantri Party, who attended the unscheduled meeting led by the AL secretary general, Abdul Jalil at Bangababhan, said.
   The alliance, which issued a four-day ultimatum to the caretaker chief on his taking over on October 29 to create a congenial atmosphere for holding a free and fair election, is learnt to have extended the deadline by one more week following the meeting, according to party insiders.
   The alliance will, however, hold its rally at Paltan Ground today and announce moderate programmes like processions and rallies.
   Sources said that the alliance leaders were likely to announce a grand rally in the capital in the second week of this month and would instruct the party activists to mount pressure on the government to press home their demands for a credible election.
   Abdul Jalil at a press briefing in the evening said that the alliance had urged the president to do something, including removal of the Chief Election Commissioner, cancellation of all contractual appointments, and removal of officials loyal to the BNP-led alliance by Friday afternoon to win people’s confidence.
   ‘All controversial officials including the home, establishment and law secretaries are still in their positions and it is impossible to hold a free election without changing them,’ Jalil said adding: ‘I told the president that activities of your government is not satisfactory.’
   He said that the AL leaders had requested the president to bring necessary changes in the administration and government organisations including the managing committees of educational institutions.
   Jalil accused the cabinet secretary of not issuing order for removal of the portrait of Khaleda Zia from the government, semi-government and autonomous organisations although, he said, the secretary earlier told them that the order had already been issued.
   ‘We told the president we want peaceful election and we have to go to the people Friday afternoon to explain the situation at a rally,’ said Jalil adding that they had sought the president’s cooperation so that they did not have to go for tougher action programmes.
   The president assured the alliance leaders that he would consider all necessary measures for holding free and fair polls, Jalil said. He also sought time from the alliance leaders in this regard, delegation sources said.
   They also complained against adviser Fazlul Haque for making sweeping comments on the AL-led alliance’s programmes.

The Awami League on Thursday strongly protested the remarks made by adviser to the caretaker government Justice Fazlul Huq on Wednesday slating political parties for setting a deadline for the advisers to prove their neutrality.
   The AL general secretary, Abdul Jalil, criticised the adviser for his remarks and asked the chief adviser to remove him from the caretaker government.
   ‘The remarks proved his advocacy in favour of a political party and I requested the chief adviser to remove him,’ Jalil told a news briefing at the party chief’s Dhanmondi office Thursday evening.
   He said political parties and the people should monitor the activities of the caretaker government and check for any irregularities in holding a free and fair election, and such aggressive remarks by an adviser was unfortunate.
   Justice Huq on Wednesday reacted sharply to the move of the political parties to keep watch on the activities of the caretaker government.
   ‘I object to this. We do not have any link with politics. These kinds of statements are very objectionable,’ the former judge of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court told reporters on Wednesday.
   ‘Why would we be under observation? What crime have we done by taking oath for conducting the election in a free and fair manner? What does this mean?’ the adviser said.

The BNP chairperson, Khaleda Zia, on Thursday said that the nation could not entertain the ‘illogical’ demands of the Awami League-led alliance and accused the latter of trying to foil the next elections.
   ‘The nation cannot entertain the ‘illogical’ demands of the Awami League-led alliance as they are trying to obstruct the electoral process,’ she said while talking to reporters about the ultimatum of the AL-led alliance to the caretaker government at the BNP central office at Naya Paltan on Thursday evening.
   It was her first day at the party office after the transfer of power to the caretaker government.
   On the demand for the removal of the Chef Election Commissioner, MA Aziz, she said the previous Awami League government had appointed its ‘own men’ as the CEC and election commissioners. ‘The present CEC is neutral,’ she claimed.
   ‘Their only demand was not to appoint Justice KM Hasan as the chief adviser and he is now out of the scene,’ she said.
   Khaleda hoped that the upcoming parliamentary elections would be held on time as per the constitution.
   The former prime minister came to the BNP central office on Thursday evening to discuss with party leaders its preparations for elections, sources close to her said.
   Hundreds of leaders and activists welcomed her at the party office.
   The BNP secretary general, Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, and the party’s Dhaka city unit president and mayor, Sadeque Hossain Khoka, were present at the office.

The Jatiya Party’s chairman HM Ershad appeared somewhat perplexed at the turn of events, and was hesitant to join the BNP-led four-party alliance as the rival Awami League-led combine is yet to clear it’s stance over participating in the upcoming January 2007 general election.
   He, however, reiterated that JP may join the alliance even if the Awami League-led combine boycotts the next polls.
   ‘We will join the [four-party] alliance if the result of the ongoing discussion is satisfactory to us,’ Ershad told journalists after a meeting with the American ambassador, Patricia A Butenis, in his Banani Office.
   He kept his options open and said, ‘We will contest the polls on our own if any alliance boycotts the election.’
   ‘We are preparing to participate in the election in time,’ he added.
   However, a JP presidium member close to Ershad told New Age on Thursday, ‘Our joining the BNP-led alliance will depend on the fulfilment of certain conditions.’
   ‘The chairman is waiting to see what decision the Awami League takes about participating in the next elections,’ he said.
   The issue of JP’s joining the four-party alliance has come to the forefront as Ershad had closed-door meetings with the BNP’s senior joint secretary-general, Tarique Rahman, and his henchmen on Tuesday and Wednesday to chalk out electoral strategies.
   Ershad had earlier told reporters that he had not yet decided to join the ‘BNP-Jamaat’ coalition.
   He suspended the extended meeting of his party, scheduled for November 4 and 5, to avoid pressure from different quarters, including JP insiders, to join the four-party alliance, said party sources.
   The presidents and general secretaries of the party’s district units were supposed to join the meeting.
   ‘The chairman has realised that a number of party leaders will oppose joining the four-party alliance,’ said a JP presidium member.
   Ershad’s younger brother, GM Quader, told reporters, ‘I do not think that he will eventually join the four-party alliance…Let’s wait to hear what he announces next week.’
   Quader said he would break away from the party to launch another JP faction if Ershad decides to join the four-party coalition.
   The Al-led combine will make its position over participating in the election clear by mid-November, said AL sources.

Advisers to the caretaker government on Thursday unanimously said they would work together to create an atmosphere congenial to holding the upcoming parliamentary elections in a free, fair and neutral manner.
   Talking to journalists on their first day of office at the Bangladesh Secretariat, they said it was their responsibility to help the president, who is also the head of the caretaker government, to create a neutral environment for the elections and restore the people’s confidence in the interim government.
   Almost all the advisers went to their secretariat offices at around 10:00am and held separate meetings with high officials of the ministries concerned. They discussed the duties of the caretaker government and their priorities during the interim period.
   The advisers to the interim government were sworn in on Tuesday night and the portfolios were distributed on Wednesday night.
   The advisers asked the bureaucrats to work with full commitment and without fear since there was no political party in power to influence or threaten them.
   ‘Our main task is to help the chief of the interim government to ensure that a fair and free election can be arranged,’ CM Shafi Sami, who has been given the responsibilities of the ministries of agriculture, cultural affairs, and youth and sports, told reporters at his office.
   He, however, said the interim government should not do anything that will have far-reaching consequences. ‘We don’t have the scope or the jurisdiction to take long-term decisions and engage in time-consuming activities.’
   Dr Akbar Ali Khan, who is in charge of the ministries of finance and planning, commerce, and post and telecommunications, said the chief election commissioner should step down on his own as he has failed to win the confidence of the political parties who are the players in the election field while the CEC is only the referee. ‘And a referee should not monitor the game if the players on both sides do not have faith in him.’
   ‘Our prime responsibility is to ensure economic stability so that the elected government inherits a stable situation,’ he pointed out.
   When asked about the projects that the last government undertook hurriedly at the fag end of its tenure, he said those projects would be implemented on priority basis.
   Maintaining that there is an imbalance between the revenue earning and expenditure of the government, Akbar said they would drop the non-profitable projects to reduce expenditure.
   About fighting the syndicates that are responsible for the price-hike of essentials, he said that the menace could be dealt with in two ways — legally and economically. He, however, preferred the economic option as it would have a long-standing impact rather that the temporary impact of legal measures.
   Justice Fazlul Huq, who is in charge of the ministries of law, justice and parliamentary affairs, land, environment and forest, put priority on improving the law and order situation which is a pre-requisite for holding elections in a peaceful manner.
   When asked about separation of the judiciary from the executive, he replied, ‘It’s not our business. It’s a very complicated issue and is time-consuming too.’ When the issue of the trial of the arrested militant leaders was brought up, he said the Islamist outfit’s kingpins had appealed for review of the verdicts and the court would proceed in the usual manner.
   ‘Our main task is to work neutrally and maintain the law and order situation,’ said Dr Sufia Rahman, who has been assigned the ministries of heath and family welfare, labour and employment, expatriates’ welfare and overseas employment. ‘People have to understand that we are with them,’ she claimed.
   She said that she had some ideas about the health sector and would try to do something for the country’s health service in the limited time allotted to the caretaker government.
   Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury, who will look after the ministries of power, energy and mineral resources, food and disaster management, communications and CHT affairs, said they had discussed what should be the ‘real spirit’ of the caretaker government and the nature of its interaction with the media.
   When he was asked to comment on electoral reforms, he said he could not alone give any statement in this regard.
   M Azizul Huq, who is in charge of the ministries of local government and rural development, shipping, and civil aviation and tourism, in a meeting with the officials of the concerned ministries asked them to discharge their duty without fear.
   He stressed the importance of activating the Election Commission but said that major reforms were not possible within the given time.
   Mahbubul Alam, who is in charge of the ministries of water resources, information and religious affairs, said they should all work for a free and fair election. He emphasised the necessity for the media to play a neutral role and requested their cooperation.
   Dhiraj Kumar Nath, who has been assigned to look after the ministries of fisheries and livestock, housing and public works and liberation war affairs, said he would try to change the image of the housing and public works ministry, which is responsible for turning the capital into a slum city. ‘We have to make the city worth living in,’ he said.

Iran fired its longer-range Shahab-3 ballistic missile on exercise for the first time Thursday as it began 10 days of war games amid a mounting standoff with the West over its nuclear programme.
   The hardline Revolutionary Guards fired the missiles, which have a range of up to 2,000 kilometres – sufficient to threaten US bases in the Gulf–during the first phase of the manoeuvres in the central desert, state television reported.
   ‘Shahab missiles, carrying cluster warheads, with a range of 2,000 kilometres, were fired from the desert near Iran’s clerical capital Qom,’ it said.
   ‘Dozens of Shahab-2 and -3, Zolfaghar-73, Scud B, Fath-110 and Zelzal have been launched in the presence of guards chief general Yahya Rahim Safavi, and other high-ranking commanders,’ the television said.
   ‘The cluster head of the Shahab-2 has the capability to disperse 1,400 bomblets with great destructive power.’
   It was the first time that Iran had fired the longer-range Shahab-3 on exercise and commanders said they would also be employing other ‘new equipment’ during the war games.
   Dubbed Great Prophet 2, the air, land and sea manoeuvres are to extend across 14 provinces ‘with the focus on the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman,’ Safavi said Wednesday.
   ‘The first and main goal of this exercise is to demonstrate power and national determination to defend the country against any possible threat,’ he said.
   ‘Heliport operations will be carried out in the Hormozgan region (on the Strait of Hormuz) and some of the Persian Gulf islands.’
   The strategic Strait of Hormuz is the obligatory passage for tankers exiting the Gulf that carry much of the world’s oil supply.
   The Iranian manoeuvres come hot on the heels of naval exercises launched in the Gulf on Monday by a US-led flotilla including warships from Australia, Bahrain, France, Italy and Britain.
   ‘That is a propaganda and political manoeuvre without military value,’ Safavi said then.
   ‘If forces from out of the region want to jeopardise Iran’s security and interests, the Revolutionary Guards and the Basij (volunteer militia) will use all their capabilities to strike their enemies and their interests,’ he warned.
   But the guards commander insisted Iran’s exercises were no threat to its neighbours.
   ‘This manoeuvre is no threat for the region or neighbouring countries,’ he said, adding: ‘Our neighbours are our friends and we consider our neighbours’ enemies our enemies.’
   The aim of the exercises was the ‘defence of sensitive centres, strategic bottlenecks and confrontation of possible troubles,’ he said.
   It is Iran’s third round of war games this year. In August, the armed forces held country-wide manoeuvres dubbed Zolfaghar Blow. Iran also staged Great Prophet 1 exercises in April.
   The new war games come amid a mounting standoff between Iran and the West over its nuclear programme after the European Union pronounced at an end talks on a negotiated solution to Western concerns that Tehran is seeking the bomb.

A separatist group that has previously destroyed petroleum works in India’s resource-rich northeast Assam state said Thursday it opposed a plan to search for oil under the Brahmaputra River.
   ‘The Indian government has for long been exploiting Assam’s natural resources and now it plans to extract oil from the Brahmaputra River. This is nothing but another clever attempt to take away local resources at the cost of our people,’ the United Liberation Front of Asom, said in a statement.
   The ULFA is an outlawed separatist group fighting for an independent homeland in Assam since 1979.
   ‘We shall not allow such a thing to take place,’ the rebel group warned.
   ULFA’s warning follows a 22 million dollar agreement by Oil India with Kazakhstan Caspi Shelf for a seismic survey along a 175-kilometer stretch of the Brahmaputra in Assam.
   The 2,906-kilometer river–one of the longest in Asia–traverses Tibet, India and Bangladesh before emptying into the Bay of Bengal.
   The survey is slated to begin later November and was expected to take two years.
   Oil India officials refused to comment on the rebel threat, but said the idea to scout for crude under the Brahmaputra’s riverbed was not based on assumptions.
   ‘This is a proven oil rich zone and we are confident of striking crude along the Brahmaputra once exploration work begins after the survey,’ a senior Oil India official said.
   India produces about 30 million tonnes of crude oil annually, with Assam accounting for about five million tonnes.
   The state also has over 1.3 billion tonnes of crude oil and 156 billion cubic meters of natural gas reserves of which an estimated 58 per cent are yet to be developed, according to Oil India.
   ULFA has blown up oil pipelines and installations, kidnapped officials and killed a Russian petrochemical engineer working for Oil India in Assam in the past decade.

A law firm sent a letter on Thursday to Sufia Rahman, adviser to health and family welfare and overseas employment ministries of the caretaker government, alleging that she was holding dual citizenship and suggested that she should quit the portfolio.
   Sufia Rahman, however, rejected the allegation outright, saying that she never held the citizenship of any foreign country.
   Barrister Syed Ishtiaq Ahmed & Associates in sent the letter to the adviser, referring to a Bangla language newspaper report, that she was holding citizenship of two countries and no one holding dual citizenship should hold the office of an adviser to the caretaker government.
   The letter claimed that Sufia Rahman holds citizenship of the United Kingdom, besides her Bangladeshi citizenship.
   ‘Should you hold dual citizenship, it would be appropriate for you to relinquish forthwith your office as an adviser,’ the notice said.
   The notice referred to the relevant constitutional provisions and requested the adviser to inform the president-cum-chief adviser, Iajuddin Ahmed, on the matter.
   When contacted, a member of the law firm told New Age: ‘This is just a polite letter asking for her [Dr Sufia Rahman] version about the allegation and it is not a legal notice,’ he said.
   ‘There is nothing political about it, rather it is a constitutional issue,’ he said adding: ‘We are giving her the benefit of doubt and let her explain her position.’
   Requested to clarify the issue, Sufia told New Age on Thursday, ‘I had been in London for about 13 years, but never acquired the citizenship of the country. I rather enjoyed residential status there.’

Supreme Court Bar Association, led by pro-Awami League lawyers, on Thursday demanded appointment of the chief adviser according to the constitution.
   ‘Precipitate assumption by president Iajuddin Ahmed of the functions of the chief adviser appears to be unwarranted and this can and should be corrected by appointing a chief adviser according to the Constitution,’ former president of the bar, Kamal Hossain, also a leader of the AL-led combine, told a press conference, held at the bar.
   President of the association M Amirul Islam and vice-chairman of Bar Council and convenor of the Peshajibi Samanway Parishad (a pro-Awami League platform of professional groups) Rokanuddin Mahmud also spoke at the press conference.
   The trio are the main initiators of the move for making former chief justice Mahmudul Amin Chowdhury the de facto chief adviser, which came up at a long closed-door meeting that they had with Awami League president Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday. The bar leaders, however, also made a number of new demands including resignation of justice Fazlul Huq, an adviser of the newly formed caretaker government, removal of the chief election commissioner, justice MA Aziz and other election commissioners, reconstitution of the election commission, correction of voters’ rolls and complete reshuffle of the civil and police administrations.
   They also suggested redistribution of portfolios – giving the charge of home ministry to former army chief Hasan Mashud Chowdhury, foreign affairs to CM Safi Sami and establishment ministry to Akbar Ali Khan – considering their expertise in concerned fields.
   If the three advisers are not designated for those ministries, they should resign immediately, the bar leaders suggested.
   They demanded resignation of justice Huq accusing him of exposing his bias towards a political party.
   In reaction to reporters’ queries, an angry Huq said Wednesday the advisers were neither criminals nor animals that they should be put under somebody’s watch.

The US, EU and German ambassadors on Thursday urged all political parties to ask their activists to shun violence so that the upcoming general elections can be held in a peaceful atmosphere.
   ‘I urge the leaders of all political parties to ask their followers and activists not to resort to violence,’ the American ambassador, Patricia A Butenis, on Thursday told reporters after meeting Jatiya Party’s chairman, former dictator HM Ershad.
   She also made same request while meeting the Jamaat-e-Islami’s amir, Matiur Rahman Nizami, on Thursday.
   Butenis said she has been meeting top leaders of the political parties with a message to refrain from violence and maintain peace for the sake of democracy. ‘It is the stance of the American government with regard to the current political atmosphere here.’
   ‘I don’t think any problem can be solved by violence,’ the ambassador of the European Union, Stefan Frowein, told reporters after meeting Nizami and the Liberal Democratic Party’s executive president, Oli Ahmed.
   ‘We are requesting the political parties to cooperate with the Caretaker Government for holding the elections in a peaceful atmosphere,’ the German ambassador, Frank Meyke, told reporters after meeting Nizami at the latter’s office.
   The ambassadors made these remarks after meeting the JP, Jamaat and LDP leaders separately.
   Butenis met Ershad as part of her programme of discussing the political situation with leaders of the major parties.
   Speaking to reporters after the meeting, she expressed the hope that all political parties would take part in the next elections.
   After meeting Nizami, Butenis said she would continue to call on leaders of the parties to restrain their activists from resorting to any violence.
   Butenis had earlier conveyed the same message to Awami League’s president, Sheikh Hasina, and BNP’s chairperson, Khaleda Zia, on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively.
   EU ambassador Stefan Frowein and German ambassador Frank Meyke separately met Nizami at the latter’s office.
   Meyke told journalists that they were requesting the parties to cooperate with the Caretaker Government for holding the elections in a peaceful atmosphere.
   In the meetings, the Jamaat showed video footage on the violence that took place on October 28 that killed several people.
   Nizami told reporters that they had discussed matters concerning the functioning of the Caretaker Government, recent controversies about it [CG] and the violence that took place on October 28 that left several Jamaat activists dead.
   Stefan Frowein and Frank Meyke also met LDP’s executive president, Oli Ahmed, at the latter’s Mohakhali residence to express concern about the recent spate of violence.
   ‘We feel that the recent violence is against democracy and there must be an end to such violent behaviour by the political activists,’ Mayke told reporters after meeting Oli.
   Referring to the incidents on October 26, 27 and 28, he said, ‘It is unacceptable and the political leaders should shoulder the responsibility.’
   ‘From now on leaders of the political parties must ensure peaceful demonstrations,’ he asserted.
   He said the European countries want to work with the interim government to ensure that measures are taken for a free and fair election. In the meeting, Oli stressed the importance of creating an appropriate atmosphere for fair elections so that all parties can get equal opportunity to contest.
   The Iranian ambassador, Mohammad Behesti Monfared, also met Ershad separately to discuss issues of bilateral and international interest.
   Senior leaders of the parties were present at the meetings.

The government has changed all the six divisional commissioners in a drastic reshuffle in the administration.
   Seven more officials were also transferred and an official order in this regard was issued on Thursday night.
   In another order, the government cancelled the contract of Gaziul Hasan Khan, who was managing director-cum-chief editor of the state-owned news agency, Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha.
   The government also cancelled the contractual appointment of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation chairman, Shamsur Rahman Shimul Bishwas.
   Mahfuzur Rahman, director general of the Relief and Rehabilitation Directorate, was made commissioner of Dhaka and he will replace Abdul Bari who was transferred to the education ministry as a joint secretary.
   Mahfuzul Haque, a joint secretary of the education ministry, was made commissioner of the Chittagong division and he will replace Ashraful Mokbul who was transferred to the education ministry as an additional secretary.
   Mokhlesur Rahman, a joint secretary of the Economic Relations Division, was made commissioner of the Khulna division and he will replace Abdul Malek who was made director general of the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training.
   Anisuddin Manjur, a joint secretary of the civil aviation and tourism ministry, was made commissioner of the Rajshahi division and he will replace Moslehuddin, who was transferred to the communications ministry as an additional secretary.
   Aziz Hasan, a joint secretary of the defence ministry, was made commissioner of the Sylhet division and he will replace Abdul Hakim Mondal, who was made managing director of the Muktijhoddha Kalyan Trust.
   Bijan Kanti Sarker, a joint secretary of the Housing and Public Works Division, was made commissioner of the Barisal division and he will replace Abu Taher Khondokar Mohammad Ismail, who was made chairman of the National Housing Authority.
   Mir Mohammad Sakhawat Hossain, an officer on special duty, was transferred to the Parliament Secretariat as an additional secretary and another officer on special duty, Abul Kalam Azad, was made chairman of the Bangladesh Forest Development Corporation.
   Mokhlesur Rahman, director general of the Women’s Affairs Directorate, was made chairman of the Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation while Mohammad Shajahjahan, executive director of the Dhaka Transport Coordination Board, was made chairman of the Bangladesh Fisheries Development Corporation.
   ASM Rashidul Hye, chairman of the Bangladesh Fisheries Development Corporation, was made director general of the Women’s Affairs Directorate while Syed Hasinur Rahman, additional secretary of the Parliament Secretariat, was made transport commissioner of the Government Transport Directorate.
   Dr Mahfuzul Haque, chairman of the Bangladesh Tourism Corporation, was made chief controller of the Insurance Directorate while Wazed Ali Khan, director general of the Jiban Bima Corporation, was made chairman of the Bangladesh Tourism Corporation.

Khoda Bux Chowdhury, who was made director general of the Rapid Action Battalion only two days ago, was appointed as the new inspector general of police.
   Khoda Bux will replace Anwarul Iqbal who was transferred as secretary to the establishment ministry as an officer on special duty.
   An official order in this regard was issued on Thursday night and it was the second shuffle in the police administration after the interim government, headed by Iajuddin Ahmed, who is also the president, had assumed office on Tuesday.
   Nine more high police officers were also given new posts in the order.
   Additional inspector general of the Special Branch, ABM Bazlur Rahman was made commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner. He will replace Naim Ahmed who assumed office in the afternoon on Thursday.
   The former DMP commissioner, SM Mizanur Rahman, transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department in Tuesday’s order, was made director general of the Rapid Action Battalion in the new order.
   The Chittagong Metropolitan Police commissioner, Majedul Haque, was attached to the police headquarters as the deputy inspector general of police while the additional commissioner of the Chittagong Metropolitan Police, Moinur Rahman Chowdhury, was given the charge of the commissioner.
   Moniruzzaman, an additional commissioner of the Dhaka city police, was made commissioner of the newly-formed Barisal Metropolitan Police while a joint commissioner of the Dhaka city police, SM Kamal Hossain, was made commandant of the police training centre in Rangpur.
   SM Mahfuzul Huq Nuruzzaman, the commandant of the Armed Police Battalion in Chittagong, and Banoj Kumar Majumder, assistant inspector general of the police at the headquarters, replaced each other in the new official order.

A bus driver on Thursday lodged a criminal case against three Dhaka Metropolitan Police sergeants for reportedly beating and arresting him in a false case.
   The complainant, Delwar Hossain Sumon, filed the case with the court of the chief metropolitan magistrate in Dhaka against Delwar Hossain Hira, Abul Khayer and Midul Kumar Pal.
   Sumon, now remanded on bail, told the court Midul pulled him down from the bus and the two assaulted him on Road 27 at Gulshan on October 24. He was later handed over to the Khilkhet police.
   ‘The police stopped the bus although I had valid documents and they started beating me,’ he said.
   Magistrate Abdullahel Baki heard the statement of complainant and ordered the Gulshan police officer-in-charge to take legal steps after inquiry of the allegation.

The Jail Killing Day will be observed today to pay homage to the four national leaders who were killed inside the Dhaka Central Jail 31 years ago.
   On this day in 1975, Syed Nazrul Islam, Tajuddin Ahmed, Mansoor Ali, and AHM Kamruzzaman, the four frontline leaders of the Mujibnagar government which led the war of independence in 1971, were shot dead inside the jail.
   The killing of four close associates of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding president of the country, occurred two months and 18 days after Mujib along with most of his family members was assassinated by some disgruntled army personnel.
   The Awami League, its front organisations and different socio-cultural and professional bodies have drawn up various programmes, including hoisting of the national, party, and black flags atop Bangabandhu Bhaban and all party offices across the country at 5:30 am and wearing of black badges to mark the day.
   The party leaders will place wreaths at the portrait of Sheikh Mujib at 6:30am and at the graves of the four national leaders at Banani graveyard at 7:00am. The AL will also arrange prayer sessions and offer fateha after placing wreaths.
   Marking the day the AL-led alliance will hold a rally at Paltan Maidan at 3:00 today from where the leaders are expected to announce the next course of action to press home its 11-point demands.
   The AL president, Sheikh Hasina on October 30 placed the demands before the president and chief adviser to the caretaker administration with an ultimatum that the demands should be accepted by November 3.

The adviser to the caretaker government on power, energy and mineral resources, Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury, said on Thursday that he would try to ensure uninterrupted power supply before taking move against corruption in the sector.
   ‘As advisers our priority is to hold a fair election. Besides, we have to conduct our routine work [at the ministries]. In the power sector I have to first ensure supply,’ he told reporters while visiting the ministry.
   When asked what he would do against corruption in the power sector, the adviser made a counter-question: ‘what should be the priority, to ensure power supply or to take steps against corruption?’
   When it was pointed out that corruption was the main reason for the crisis in the power sector, he said, ‘first let me ensure power supply and then I will look into corruption.’
   He told reporters at the communications ministry in the morning that he was ‘above corruption’ and everyone working under him should be corruption- free.
   ‘Everyone knows there is corruption in the ministries. We have to fight against corruption. I hope everyone working under me will be corruption- free,’ he said.
   Mashhud has been given charge of the ministries of power, energy and mineral resources, communications, food and disaster management and CHT affairs.
   When asked what would he do about the ‘controversial’ power secretary [ANH Akhtar Hossain], who had been transferred to IMED only to be reinstated at the Power Division within 24 hours, the adviser said, ‘it is not my duty to see whether he was transferred or not, it is to see whether he is assisting me or not.’
   Secretaries to the four ministries gave the adviser short briefings about the current activities of the ministries.
   He said that he would sit with officials of the four ministries separately from Sunday.
   Mashhud said he would only take up works which he would be able to finish before his tenure ends.
   He visited power, energy and mineral resources, food and disaster management and CHT affairs ministries in the afternoon.
   Sources in the power ministry said that Mashhud took charge at a time when power crisis was showing signs of easing with winter about to set in.
   The power shortage, which reached around 2,200 megawatts in September, is now at around 700 megawatts as the demand has reduced by 1,200 megawatts.
   Besides, at least two power units with around 300MW capacity that remained out of operation last month have also started production in the last few days.
   Sources, however, feared that the country might face serious power crisis in December-January when the Boro season starts.

Finance, commerce and telecom adviser Akbar Ali Khan said on Thursday that he would soon undertake measures to cut unnecessary expenditures and increase the revenue earnings in a bid to stabilise the economy.
   ‘I see a widening gap between spending and income, which needs to be narrowed through expenditure cuts as the first step to neutralise the economic situation,’ Akbar told journalists on his first day at the finance ministry office.
   He, however, said any major changes are unlikely in the fiscal and budgetary policies formulated by the immediate past government.
   ‘My main duty would be to stabilise the economy without bringing any fundamental changes in budgetary and fiscal policies,’ he maintained.
   On the Awami League’s demand for canceling block allocations for politically motivated projects, the career bureaucrat-turned-adviser said the panel of advisers needs to prioritise development works through a careful screening of development projects approved by the immediate past four-party alliance government.
   Khan, a former finance and cabinet secretary, felt that issue of price hike would not be a crucial issue for him during the next three months because of seasonal advantages.
   ‘I am very much lucky as commodity prices are unlikely to escalate this time due to seasonal advantages,’ he said, stressing the need for appropriate law for dealing with those involved in syndication and manipulation of prices and supplies.
   The adviser held discussions with National Board of Revenue chairman Abdul Karim, finance secretary Siddiqur Rahman Choudhury and commerce secretary Firoz Ahmed, and enquired about the routine activities.

BIMSTEC Business Forum, a platform of the businessmen of the member countries of the regional grouping, has expressed frustration over FTA negotiations.
   ‘FTA negotiations begin with optimism but soon turn protectionist,’ said Vinod Gupta, adviser to the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, at a briefing at the 5th meeting of the forum in Bangkok last week.
   Chatchai Boonyarat, vice-chairman of the Thai Chamber and Commerce, chaired the forum meeting while representatives from Bangladesh, Myanmar, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand took part.
   ‘It is important to focus on the positive lists and announce these rather than get stuck with negative list,’ a report of the meeting quoted Gupta as saying.
   At the meeting, former president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry Abdul Awal Mintoo said the BIMSTEC FTA would open up potential of regional trade amounting to $ 43-59 billion.
   Trade Negotiating Committee, set up to conduct negotiation for the BIMSTEC FTA, was discussing trade in services, economic regulations and cooperation. The next TNC meeting will be held from November 5 to 10 in Myanmar, the business forum was told.
   The meeting also discussed BIMSTEC Travel Card Scheme. Thailand informed the forum that the country had started providing the business people of the BIMSTEC and beyond providing a new type of business visa with multiple entry and validity for three years.
   The next forum meeting would take place in New Delhi and the date would be settled later.

At least 12 people were killed and about 30 others injured in road accidents in Faridpur, Bogra, Netrakona and Nilphamari on Thursday.
   In Faridpur, a Khulna-bound bus of Hanif Paribahan collided head-on with a fish-laden truck from Satkhira on the Dhaka-Khulna Highway at Kanaipur early Thursday.
   The truck driver Ziaur Rahman, 30, his helper Puti Gazi, 35, and fish trader Rezaul Islam, 45, all from Kalaroa upazila in Satkhira and bus driver Anwarul Sheikh, 38, of Tularampur in Narail died on the spot.
   The police seized both vehicles.
   In Bogra, four people were killed and 15 others injured in a head-on collision between two trucks on the Bogra-Dhaka highway at Ambagan under Sherpur upazila early Thursday.
   Police said that two people died on the spot when a goods-laden truck from Dhaka hit the Dhaka-bound truck coming from Kurigram at about 5:00am.
   Of the injured, 12 were admitted to Bogra Mohammad Ali Hospital where two others died later.
   Two of the deceased were identified as Haider Ali, 30, and Idris Ali, 30, of Satbhita village under Ulipur upazila of Kurigram district.
   In Netrakona, a teenage boy, Sohel, of Baliakanda village under Durgapur upazila was killed and 8 others were injured when a truck rammed into an auto-tempo at Krisnarchar Bazar on Netrakona-Durgapur road early Thursday.
   The deceased and the injured were the passengers of tempo.
   One of the injured, Masum, 19, was sent to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital in critical condition while the others to Durgapur Upazila Health Complex.
   In Nilphamair, one Afzal Bepari and his nephew Sumon of Nautara village under Dimla upazila were killed and six others inured when the Dimla-bound microbus carrying them fell into a roadside ditch at Bhadur Bazar early Thursday.
   In another accident, a pedestrian, Faizullah, 68, was crushed under the wheels of a covered van while he was crossing the Jaldhaka-Nilphamari Road in front of Hafizia Madrasha in the morning Thursday.
   Following the accident, the agitated people tried to disrupt the normal traffic by throwing stones at vehicles, but the police brought the situation under control.

Britain has agreed to partly lift its ban on liquids in hand luggage on airline flights from next week in a further easing of heightened security rules following a suspected plot to blow up airliners.
   Passengers would be allowed to carry a limited amount of some liquids and pastes, including contact lens solution, toothpaste and perfume but not large drink containers, from November 6 under the changes, airport operator BAA said on Thursday.
   Details of the new rules, backed by the European Commission last month, were announced by Britain and UK airport authorities. Disruptions and delays caused by the security measures had been heavily criticised by airlines.
   The United States partly lifted its ban on liquids in September.
   ‘From 6 November passengers may carry a limited quantity of liquids i.e. gels, lotions, pastes, liquid cosmetics, foams and foodstuffs in their hand baggage when going through airport security checkpoints,’ BAA, which owns London’s Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports and is part of Spain’s Ferrovial, said in a statement.
   Under the rules the liquids must be in individual containers of 100 mln or less. The containers must be placed in one transparent, re-sealable plastic bag, no larger than 20 cm by 20 cm. Passengers are allowed one bag.
   Exceptions would apply for medicines and baby food or milk, BAA said.
   The UK banned most liquids and set smaller limits on carry-on bags in August following what police said was a foiled plot to blow up US-bound airliners leaving Britain using liquid explosives. Some restrictions on hand luggage were eased in September.
   BAA has said the changes forced it to spend an extra 13 million pounds ($24.8 million) and British Airways estimated its lost revenues, the cost of hotel rooms for stranded passengers and of repatriating lost luggage after the restrictions were imposed in August at 40 million pounds.

A Syrian government newspaper said on Thursday US accusations that Damascus is trying along with Iran and Hezbollah to topple the Lebanese government were ‘pure rubbish.’
   The White House said on Wednesday Washington had evidence that Syria, Iran and their allies in the Shia Muslim group were preparing to topple the Beirut government, which is dominated by US-backed politicians.
   ‘This pure rubbish is meant to raise turmoil in Lebanon and cause fallout with Syria, which paid with blood to maintain Lebanese independence and sovereignty,’ an editorial in Syria’s Baath daily said.
   The newspaper said the US government ‘which claims to know everything’ should make public any evidence of the alleged Syrian role.
   US officials say the information is classified.
   Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has given prime minister Fouad Siniora until the middle of this month to agree on the formation of a unity government or face protests demanding a new election.
   A State Department spokesman said Nasrallah’s ultimatum has raised US concerns about the intentions of Hezbollah and other players toward Lebanon.
   Anti-Syrian politicians had dismissed calls for a national unity government, saying such demands were aimed at regaining Syria’s influence in Lebanon.
   Lebanese Parliament speaker Nabih Berri said Washington’s strong support of Siniora’s government could prove its undoing.
   ‘Some love is fatal,’ Berri said in a statement. ‘Is it (the US statement) meant to defend Lebanon or push it toward constructive chaos? Does it echo concern for the government or incitement against it?’
   Berri, a Shia Muslim leader allied to Hezbollah, has called for roundtable talks between various Lebanese leaders next week to discuss formation of a new government.
   ‘Anyway, we reassure the White House that the Lebanese people have enough of a democratic tendency to make them resort to dialogue and consultations rather than to the advice of the protector of Israel which violates international resolutions every day and whose planes never depart our airspace,’ he said.
   Syrian forces pulled out of Lebanon after a 29-year presence following last year’s assassination of former prime minister Rafik al-Hariri.
   A UN investigation implicated Syrian security officials in the killing. Damascus, which denies involvement, has deepened its ties with Tehran after facing increasing isolation by the West following the assassination.

Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board is preparing to sue 315 lawmakers of the fifth and seventh parliaments for not paying arrear phone bills in ‘flagrant violation of a court order’.
   The deadline set by the High Court for payment of about Tk 7 crore telephone bills in arrears by some 350 former MPs expired on October 26.
   Together they defaulted on the payment of Tk 6.28 crore, of which only Tk 24.17 lakh has been paid.
   The BTTB has collected relevant information and data for taking legal action against the bill defaulters on expiry of the deadline.
   The BTTB chairman, Alibardi Khandaker, told the news agency that the accounts relating to the bills were being scrutinised again and adjustments were being made. He said they would take action in line with the court order.
   Another BTTB official said their legal adviser had contacted the law ministry for its
   guidance on what should be done. The process to file case would start after the ministry go-ahead.
   As per the accounts of the revenue section concerned of the BTTB, the amount of phone bills to the members of the 5th and 7th Sangsad long overdue was Tk 8,44,45,748. The arrear bills due from members of the immediate past 8th Jatiya Sangsad was over Tk 1 crore.
   Though the lawmakers drew Tk 6,000 every month against their telephone bills from government exchequer with their allowances, they did not deposit it in favour of BTTB. Though they were requested to pay the bills in last five years no deadline was fixed.
   On public interest litigation by the Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust in the High Court for realising the overdue phone bills from the former lawmakers the court on March 27 gave its verdict.
   The High Court bench comprising Justice ABM Khairul Haque and Justice ATM Fazle Kabir in its verdict said the BTTB would have to take steps for realising the arrear bills in six months. It also directed the BTTB to take legal action against those who would fail to pay the arrear bills by the specified time after receiving the notice.
   The BTTB sent letters to the former legislators and their heirs informing them about their due phone bills and saying that it would take legal action if they failed to pay the bills in due time as per June 29 court orders. But only 18 former deputies paid their arrear phone bills in full and 6 partially. A total of 315 former MPs owe Tk 6,28,37,882 to the state-owned BTTB.
   The MPs belonging to the majority party in the 5th, 7th and 8th Sangsad topped the list of the bill defaulters.
   Of the 5th parliament, among 226 bill defaulter legislators, 124 were from BNP. They owed Tk 2,10,89,246 in overdue bills. 85 members of the Awami League had Tk 1, 13,10,687 in arrear phone bills. Thirty-one deputies of the Jatiya Party owed Tk 65,73,371 in overdue bills. Six MPs of the Jamaat-e-Islami defaulted Tk 4,12,387 in phone bills. One Workers Party lawmaker had Tk 98,022 in overdue phone bill. One Islami Oikya Jote MP defaulted Tk 5,185 in arrear telephone bill.
   Three top bill defaulters of the period are: MA Jinnah of BNP (Tk 16 lakh 52 thousand 7171), Awami League lawmaker Abdul Awal Miah (Tk 10 lakh 13 thousand 63) and Kazi Zafar Ahmed of the Jatiya Party (Tk nine lakh 13 thousand 850).
   In the 7th Sangsad, 216 lawmakers of the Awami League defaulted Tk 72 lakh 5 thousand 345 in phone bills. A total of
   77 BNP MPs had 49 lakh 36 thousand 866 in arrear phone bills.
   Jatiya Party’s 24 deputies defaulted Tk 96 thousand 439 in phone bills. Three legislators of the Jamaat-e-Islami had Tk 96 thousand 205 in overdue phone bills.
   Three top bill defaulters of the 7th Sangsad were Syed Ashraful Islam of the Awami League (Tk four lakh 51 thousand 237), BNP’s Amanullah Aman (Tk three lakh 16 thousand 554) and AL MP Mustafizur Rahman (Tk two lakh 91 thousand 381).

UEFA president Lennart Johansson said on Thursday that every third World Cup finals tournament should be staged in Europe—with England confirming an interest in hosting the 2018 finals.
   Johansson, launching his manifesto at the start of his campaign to be re-elected UEFA president for a fifth and final term of office, said there was ‘very great interest’ in the idea of the World Cup returning to Europe every 12 years.
   ‘I spoke with the Chancellor Gordon Brown and he is very keen on the idea of it coming back to England,’ Johansson told a media briefing in London.
   The idea of every third World Cup tournament returning to Europe has not been publicly aired before, but Johansson added: ‘After Germany this year, it is going to South Africa in 2010 and then to South America in 2014.
   ‘The next time it might be back in Europe would be 2018. England have not had the World Cup since 1966 and I know there is a great deal of interest to support such a project.’
   Australia has also expressed an interest in staging the 2018 finals. No decision will be taken until 2012 — the year London hosts the Olympic Games.
   He also hinted that European football’s governing body is ready to take action against Chelsea and Barcelona after their latest bitter clash.
   Johansson admitted UEFA should have clamped down on the increasingly bitter feud before now.
   He said: ‘I cannot deny that we have been sleeping by not taking action earlier.
   ‘But I’m sure that now things will happen when it’s so obvious as it was this time. We had people at the match, so for sure there will be a report about it.’
   The Swede believes Chelsea’s billionaire owner Roman Ambramovich has been bad for football because his big-spending on star players has distorted the competition in the Premiership and Europe.

Chris Gayle struck a magnificent 15th ODI century as West Indies sealed a superb six-wicket semi-final win over South Africa in the Champions Trophy.
   Gayle smashed 17 fours and three sixes in an unbeaten 133, sharing 154 in 26 overs for the first wicket with Shiv Chanderpaul, who retired hurt on 57.
   Their heroics saw the Windies reach the target of 259 with 37 balls remaining.
   Herschelle Gibbs hit four fours and a six in his 77 for South Africa, sharing 92 in 18 overs with AB de Villiers.
   The West Indian reply was eventful from ball one, a wide from Shaun Pollock.
   Gayle drove the first two legitimate deliveries from four and Chanderpaul, who provoked afurious response from Makhaya Ntini when he asked the volatile paceman to remove his white wristband, continued the assault on Pollock by lofting him within inches of a six.
   Ntini was replaced after three overs for 23, but the first ball from Andre Nel was unceremoniously swiped to the mid-wicket boundary by Chanderpaul.
   Pollock stayed in the attack but was smeared straight into the boards at long-off by the dynamic Gayle, who reached fifty from 48 balls. With the score at 75-0 after 10 overs, Graeme Smith delayed the second powerplay and brought himself on for some gentle off-spinners, but the 100 arrived in the 17th over.
   Although way ahead of the required rate, Gayle ensured the momentum was maintained, launching left-arm spinner Robin Peterson high into the night sky and into the stands for six more.
   Even a bout of cramp for Chanderpaul could not delay the procession to victory, although the left-hander was finally forced to leave the field with 105 still needed.
   New batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan took the target below three figures with two fours through the leg-side in an over from Nel, compiling 27 from as many balls before adjudged lbw to Ntini. Gayle recorded his third century of the tournament, whirling his arm in celebration after taking the single needed, and Dwayne Bravo signalled the 200 with a calypso square drive for four.
   The Windies could even afford a moment of hari-kari from Bravo, who sauntered down the pitch to Peterson and was run out by Graeme Smith collecting the ball at slip.
   That gave skipper Brian Lara the chance to hit his 1,000th one-day international four, fittingly a sumptuous square drive, though he chipped back a return catch. Runako Morton had not scored when he hit an ill-advised hoik low to mid-wicket with only 15 needed but Gayle finished the match in style with a straight drive to the boundary.

The police on Thursday seized a large cache of arms and ammunition from a pond at Chandra-khana of Phulbari in Kurigram.
   The arms are an SMG, an SLR, eight pistols, six foreign-made, and two pipe guns and more than 100 rounds of ammunition.
   The police and local people that a minor boy, Mithu, found a bag containing the arms and ammunition when he was removing water hyacinth from the pond near the helipad at about 11:00am.
   The police went seized the arms and ammunition in the bag.
   In Jhenaidah, the police seized six bombs and some explosive materials from Pagla Kaniya in the outskirts of the town on Thursday.
   The police suspected that the activists of underground Sramajibi Mukti Andolan were making the bombs.
   The police also found a booklet of the underground outfit at the place. No one was arrested.

Bangabhaban will accord a reception to the Nobel peace prize winner Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus on Sunday.
   The president will host the reception in honour of Dr Yunus at 7:00pm, a Bangabhaban spokesman told the news agency on Thursday.