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Human rights watchdog Odhikar recommended a set of measures including a more pro-active role by the law enforcing agencies, and following the code of conduct for elections and avoiding provocative speeches by the political parties, to hold the national elections peacefully.
   Odhikar on Wednesday came up with the recommendations while releasing a report on election-related violence, which revealed some 99 people were injured in 42 separate incidents across the country.
   The human rights body disclosed the report on 40 districts covering the period between December 14 and 19.
   However, there was no election-related violence in 17 districts during this reporting period, according to the findings.
   Odhikar said most of the incidents had taken place on December 19 and the total number of incidents was 13.
   ‘Most of the incidents recorded were political party-related. The incidents erupted at random and there were no specific reasons behind them,’ the report said.
   The five districts, the names of which should be mentioned in this connection, are Kishorgonj having 5 incidents, Barisal 4 incidents, and Brahmanbaria, Chittagong and Moulavibazar each having 3 incidents of election-related violence.
   The highest number of incidents of violence took place in Chittagong division while comparatively few incidents occurred in Khulna and Sylhet divisions.
   It said, ‘The supporters and activists of the Awami League and the BNP were the most active in the violent activities. The AL was responsible for 16 incidents of violence while the BNP was directly involved in 14 incidents.’
   The clashes between the political parties also involved vandalising of private and political party properties.
   For avoiding violence and maintaining a peaceful situation in the forthcoming polls, Odhikar urged the political parties to avoid organizing rallies at the same place simultaneously and stick to their promises to remain non-violent.
   It said, ‘All political parties should publicly condemn the use of violence by their supporters, and should state their commitment to non-violence.’
   All candidates and political parties must follow the Code of Conduct and the Representation of the People Order (RPO), 1972.
   Touching on the role of the security agencies, Odhikar said, ‘Law enforcement agencies need to be proactive in tackling any violence.

Almost half of the polling centres in all the 11 constituencies of Mymensingh have been identified as risky.
   According to the district administration, 565 polling centres have been found vulnerable out of the total 1,133, to be set up in the district for the forthcoming elections scheduled for December 29.
   Of them, 56 polling centres out of 115 are risky in Mymensingh 1 (Haluaghat-Dhobaura upazilas) constituency, 60 out of 130 in Mymensingh 2 (Phulpur upazila), 58 out 115 in (Gauripur upazila), 70 out of 106 in Mymensingh 4 (sadar upazila), 58 out of 89 in Mymensingh 5 (Muktagachha upazila), 29 out of 103 in Mymensingh 6 (Phulbaria upazila), 50 out of 102 in Mymensingh 7 (Trishal), 28 out of 85 in Mymensingh 8 (Ishwarganj), 55 out of 102 in Mymensingh 9 (Nandail), 70 out of 106 in Mymensingh 10 (Gafargaon) and 31 out of 80 were identified as vulnerable, in Mymensingh 11 (Bhaluka) the sources said.
   District election office sources said the administration would take special security measures to ensure safety in the 565 centres.
   Training of presiding officers, assistant presiding officers and polling officers has already been completed to ensure smooth receiving of votes, the sources added.

HELICOPTERS will be on duty for transporting election officials and materials to 18 out-of-the-way polling centres in Rangamati and 13 in Bandarban to facilitate smooth conducting of the 9th parliamentary elections on December 29, said sources at the offices of the returning officers.
   Helicopter is the only means of transporting election officials and materials to the poling stations set up at New Lankar Government Primary School, Tui Chui Government Primary School, Betling Government Primary School and Shialdai Lui Government Primary School in Baghaichhari upazila; Taktanala Government Primary School, Pharua Government Primary School, Tarachhari Non-government Primary School and Borathali Non-government Primary School in Belaichhari upazila; CM Para Government Primary  School, Suknachhari Government Primary School and Bamer Mohalchhari Primary School in Borkal upazila; Duluchhari Community Primary School, Shilchhari Government Primary School, Fakirachhari Government Primary School, Bastipara Non-government Primary School, Bhuatali Government Primary School and Borkalak Government Primary School in Jurachhari upazila and Balipara non-Government Primary School in Rajasthali upazila of Rangamati, said the sources.
   These polling centres covering a total of 23,463 voters are considered as inaccessible, maintained the sources.
   Meanwhile, the Bandarban district administration has identified 112 polling centres as vulnerable out of 163, and 50 of them found in general category, on the basis of a recent report of the district police, said sources at the office of the returning officer while at least 100 polling centres have been identified as risky out of 179 in the hill district Khagrachhari, observed sources.
   Twenty six polling centres are vulnerable out of 37 in Bandarban sadar upazila, 18 out of 20 in Roangchhari upazila, 11 out of 18 in Ruma upazila, 11 out of 14 in Thanchi upazila, 26 out of 36 in Lama upazila, all the 15 centres in Alikadam upazila and five out of 23 in Naikhiongchhari upazila, said the sources, adding additional security measures have been taken to hold elections in a peaceful atmosphere in the centres.

Migratory birds have already flocked to Kurigram as they did in the past at the beginning of the winter this year. But poachers are now using traps or even poison to kill such birds.
   Every year, thousands of migratory birds come to the haors, rivers and other water bodies in northern districts, including Kurigram, from places such as Siberia, Mongolia, Nepal, Xinxian and the Himalayan region beginning early November and they stay here till April.
   Various kinds of migratory birds, mainly the duck species, have taken shelter in different haors, bils, canals and rivers in all the nine upazilas of the district.
   The birds are seen in Noonkhawa, Madarganj, Narayanpur, Berubari, Jatrapur, Begumganj, Hatia, Kodalkati, Astamirchar, Nayarhat, Mohanganj and char Khetabkha at Nageswari, district headquarters, Tajerhat, Ulipur, Chilmari, Roumari and Rajibpur around the Brahmaputra, Teesta, Dudkumar and Dharla rivers.
   The guest birds live on small fishes, insects, small snails and watery plants. Such birds usually come
   to this territory in winter to protect them from severe cold and fog, experts said.
   Poachers shot dead such guest birds in char areas. But the owners of licensed firearms have deposited their arms with the police in keeping with government order because of the December 29 national elections.
   And now poachers are using traps or even poison to kill such birds to be sold for Tk 800–900 a piece. Such birds are selling for high prices this year, said a poacher at Jatrapur.
   The local administration is keeping silent in connection with such poaching.
   If this continues, guest birds would soon stop coming to this region which might affect the ecological balance, feared green campaigners.

The Department of Agricultural Extension in Jamalpur has taken a massive scheme to cultivate winter crops on a large scale of land in all the seven upazilas of the district in the current season.
   According to the DAE, a total of 1,79,803 hectares of land have been brought under rabi cultivation this year. The production target has been fixed at 8,99,747 metric tonnes.
   Under the programme, crops including boro, wheat, various types of winter vegetables, potato, sweet potato, maize, mustard, sugarcane, groundnut, onion, garlic, chilli, and vaurious types of pulses have been cultivated.
   A total of 1,13,130 hectares of land were brought under boro farming. Of them, 22,400 hectares under High Yielding variety, 8,92,30 hectares under Upsi variety and 1,500 hectares under were brought under boro cultivation.
   The upazila wise break up of boro paddy is as follows:
   28,200 hectares of land in Jamalpur sadar, 17,300 hectares in Sarishabari, 17,500 hectares in Melandaha, 15,000 hectares Islampur, 10,000 hectares in Dewanganj, 15,000 hectares and 10,130 hectares in Bakshiganj upazila.
   About 13,200 hectares of land was brought under winter vegetables farming with a production target of 1,98,000 metric tones this year.
   About 6,000 of land brought under wheat cultivation with a production target of 15,000 metric tones have been cultivated in the district.
   About 7,000 hectares of land has been brought under potato cultivation with a production target of 1,12,000 metric tones this year in the district.
   Of the total, 3,000 hectares of land under maize cultivation with a production target of 16,500 metric tones, 2,400 hectares under sweet potato and 20,000 hectares under mustard have been brought
   this year.

The police arrested eight suspected robbers in possession of a dagger and a bomb at Tamta of Daudkandi on the Dhaka–Chittagong Highway early Wednesday.
   The police conducted a raid on the area and arrested the eight, including their leader Farooque, 20.
   Others are Yunus, 25, Jamal, 24, Monir, 21, Shipon, 22, Sohag, 21, Sohel, 26 and Al Amin, 21. The police also seized a dagger and bomb from Farooque.
   The police said the arrested had admitted to being members of an inter-district robbers’ gang.