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The nation goes to the polls for the ninth parliament today, about two years after the schedule after the military-controlled interim government had on December 17, 2008 withdrawn the state of emergency ordered on January 11, 2007.
   More than 81 million people will exercise their franchise in the national polls, originally scheduled for January 22, 2007.
   The January 2007 elections were suspended because of the declaration of the state of emergency and subsequent assumption of office the military-controlled interim government on January 12, 2007 promising qualitative changes in political hostility and mistrust.
   The interim government hoped that the elections would be held in a free, fair and credible manner. More than 3,60,000 local and international observers will monitor the polls.
   The chief adviser, Fakhruddin Ahmed, and the chief election commissioner, ATM Shamsul Huda, in addresses to the nation, aired on television and radio channels on Sunday, called on the people to elect honest and competent persons without fear to the parliament
   The government earlier announced a public holiday today to facilitate the polling between 8:00am and 4:00pm without any break.
   All the constituencies but the Noakhali 1 will go to the polls today. The elections to the Noakhali 1 constituency have been suspended after the death of the Awami League-led alliance candidate for the constituency, Ganatantri Party president Nurul Islam.
   One thousand, five hundred and fifty-five candidates are contesting the polls for the 299 constituencies. The Election Commission set up 35,263 polling centres across the country.
   Each of the major electoral alliances led by the Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, which had been in power since 1991 after the end of a military regime, fielded candidates for all the constituencies. Thirty-nine political parties are contesting the polls.
   The authorities have already deployed more than 6,50,000 lawmen, including 50,000 troops, to keep order before, during and after the polls.
   About 13 lakh people including 5,66,537 polling officers were readied for polls duty, Election Commission officials said. The district election administrations sent all polling materials to the centres by Sunday evening.
   Top leaders of both the major parties alerted their supporters to ‘rigging’ even though the authorities had prepared an apparently credible electoral roll with photographs.
   The UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, in a statement on Saturday, urged Bangladesh’s contesting political parties ‘to be responsible’ and accept the people’s verdict.
   Soon after the balloting, presiding officers will count votes in the presence of polling agents appointed by the candidates and publish the result at the centre, according to an Election Commission circular.
   The presiding officers this time will need to distribute copies of the results among the polling agents, send a copy to the returning officer and hang a copy of the results in front of the polling centre.
   The returning officers will publish the results after collecting the results from all presiding officers and send them to the Election Commission.
   Major parties are contesting the polls with their alliance partners. The Awami League-led alliance include the Jatiya Party led by HM Ershad, Workers Party of Bangladesh and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal while the Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led alliance include Bangladesh Jamat-e-Islami, Bangladesh Jatiya Party, Islami Oikya Jote, Jamiyat-e-Ulama-e-Islam Bangladesh and Jatiya Ganatantrik Party.
   Some allies are contesting the polls with the election symbols of the alliance leaders while others are running for the elections with their own symbols.
   The Liberal Democratic Party is contesting the polls with the symbol of umbrella for 18 constituencies, Jatiya Party-JP with bicycle for 7, Bangladesh Shamyabadi Dal with wheel for 1, Krishak Sramik Janata League with gamchha for 46, Bangladesh Communist Party with sickle for 37, Awami League with boat for 263, Bangladesh Nationalist Party with paddy sheaf for 259, Ganatantri Party with pigeon for 5, Bangladesh National Awami Party with hut for 14, Workers Party of Bangladesh with hammer for 7, Bikalpadhara Bangladesh with winnowing fan for 63, Jatiya Party with plough for 48, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dak with torch for 6, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami with scales for 39, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal with star for 44, Zaker Party with rose for 37, Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal with ladder for 57, Bangladesh Jatiya Party–BJP with cow-cart for 2, Bangladesh Tarikat Federation with flower garland for 31, Bangladesh Khelafat Andolan with banyan tree for 32, Bangladesh Muslim League with hurricane lantern for 5, National People’s Party with mango for 29, Jamiyate Ulama-e-Islam Bangladesh with date tree for 7, Gana Forum with rising sun for 45, Gana Front with fish for 14, Progressive Democratic Party with winnowing fan as part of Jukta Front for 21, Bangladesh National Awami Party with cow for 5, Bangladesh Jatiya Party with jackfruit for 10, Oikyabaddha Nagarik Andolan with key for 11, Islamic Front Bangladesh with chair for 2, Bangladesh Kalyan Party with wrist watch for 39, Islami Oikya Jote with minaret for 4, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish with ricksahw for 8, Islami Andolon Bangladesh with hand fan for 166, Bangladesh Islami Front with candle for 18, Jatiya Ganatantrik Party with hukkah for 2, Bangladesh Revolutionary Workers Party with spade for 5 and Freedom Party with axe for 2.
   A total of 148 independent candidates are contesting the polls with various election symbols.
   The Election Commission on Sunday warned of legal action against anyone violating the electoral code of conduct during and after the polling.
   ‘If anyone, including candidate, violates the code of conduct, the judicial magistrate concerned will report to the commission after investigation. Based o the report, we will take legal action against violators,’ election commissioner M Sakhawat Hussain told newsmen in his office.
   He hoped candidates would also not do anything which might create problems for voters in casting their vote.
   The Awami League, which forged an electoral alliance with the Jatiya Party led by Ershad, the third largest party in the eighth parliament, is in trouble in at least 38 constituencies because of rebel candidates of the alliance components — the Awami League and the Jatiya Party.
   The BNP-led alliance, which had a two-third majority in the last parliament, has rebel candidates within the party for about 20 constituencies and its alliance Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has rival candidates for five constituencies.
   Awami League candidates have not yet withdrawn their candidature for at least 14 constituencies which have been kept for the Jatiya Party-JP while rebel Awami League candidates have become a threat to alliance candidates from the Awami League itself in at least 20 constituencies.
   The alliance has kept open three constituencies where both the Awami League and the Jatiya Party candidates are contesting the polls as rivals.
   The parties in their manifestos made lofty pledges for the next five years. But they did not mention anything about the financing, skills and technology needed to implement the pledges.
   Food security, subsidy in agriculture sector, elimination of corruption, enhancement of social security for the poor, poverty reduction, infrastructure development, supply of electricity and an atmosphere conducive to investment are the main issues in the manifestos.
   The Election Commission changed the schedule for the ninth parliamentary polls, initially scheduled for January 21, 2007 as announced on November 27, 2006 after the eighth parliament had served out its tenure on October 27, 2008, six times till November 22, 2008.
   A three-tier security ring has been in place in and around the polling centres to ensure peaceful voting with an electoral roll with photographs for the first time. The polls are taking place after changes in electoral rules.
   The commission this time classified the polling centres into two categories — general and important, which were previously called risky. ‘Eighteen law enforces will be deployed at each important polling centre and 14 lawmen at general polling centre for security,’ according to the deployment plan.

The military-controlled government took two long years to complete the process for an election aimed at bringing about changes in the political culture vitiated by mistrust and hostilities for decades.
   After months of uncertainties, suspense and confusion, the grand occasion arrives and the people will cast vote today in the much-awaited ninth parliamentary elections that is expected to return the country to rule by elected representatives.
   The unelected government of Fakhruddin Ahmed, which was installed in the wake of political chaos, had kept civil and political rights suspended during most of its tenure to prepare the nation for the elections.
   After some preliminary hiccups, the then Election Commission headed by MA Aziz fixed January 22, 2007 as polling day under a constitutionally-mandated but controversial caretaker administration of president Iajuddin Ahmed.
   But Iajuddin’s failure to help conduct the elections had forced him to declare a state of emergency on January 11, 2007 with the military apparently playing a crucial role in the events.
   A day after the promulgation, Fakhruddin Ahmed, a former central bank governor, was sworn in as the head of the government and he vowed to hold a free and fair election, suspending the previously announced one.
   In his maiden address to the nation on January 21, Fakhruddin underscored an atmosphere conducive for holding a fair election.
   ‘Our main task is to help conduct a free and fair election to be participated by all as soon as possible’, he told the nation vowing not to allow the nation to return to anarchy.
   But fears over elections remained even after the chief adviser announced a year and a half after assuming office that the polls would take place on December 18, 2008. The date was changed because of events that followed and the polls were finally set for December 29.
   As part of its efforts to ‘create an atmosphere conducive to elections’, the government launched an anti-corruption drive, mainly targeting political leaders.
   The army-led joint forces had detained over 200 politicians, including the two former prime ministers – Khaleda Zia of Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Sheikh Hasina of Awami League. The government took them to courts. The drive continued till early 2008.
   A month after assuming office, the government reconstituted the Election Commission headed by retired bureaucrat ATM Shamsul Huda, drawing two other commissioners, including one retired military man.
   MA Aziz and his deputies meanwhile resigned after having tea with the president.
   The reconstituted commission prepared the ground for electoral law reforms in the initial months and took up a pilot project for voters’ roll with photographs. In April it initiated the project in Sripur.
   The commission came up with an election roadmap but failed to keep pace with its own plan.
   According to the roadmap, announced on July 15, 2007, the commission planned dialogues with political parties in September and November, electoral reforms between September 2007 and February 2008, constituency delimitation between January and June 2008, elections to the local government throughout 2008, political party registration by June 2008, printing and distribution of voters’ roll by October 2008, UP polls in November-December 2008, and announcement of parliamentary polls between October and December 2008.
   The commission failed to hold dialogue with BNP as the party asked the government to set free its chief Khaleda Zia, who was detained on September 3, 2007 and was eventually released on bail on September 11, 2008.
   As the first year of the government witnessed growing tension between the government and the political parties, the chief adviser felt the need for reconciliation. In his televised speech to the nation marking his government’s second anniversary, Fakhruddin, disclosed his plan for holding dialogues with political parties.
   He deployed a panel of advisers for informal parleys with the parties. It took as many as five months to persuade the parties, particularly Awami League and BNP. The leaders of the parties asked the government to set their top leaders free and sit for the dialogue.
   The chief adviser meanwhile started dialogues with smaller political parties with an aim to forge a ‘consensus on certain national issues’ for the post-election period.
   Backstage negotiations led to the release of the two top leaders and dialogues. But it was not clear whether the two major alliances had agreed on certain crucial issues – particularly accepting the election results and giving legitimacy to the activities of the interim administration.
   After several rounds of talks with the chiefs of AL and BNP and consultation with the Election Commission, the chief adviser in another address to the nation in late September announced that the elections to parliament would take place on December 18 and to the upazila parishads on December 28.
   The parties initially accepted the date for parliamentary polls asking the interim government not to hold the upazila elections at such short notice.
   The announcement came at a time when the demands for lifting of the state of emergency and release of the detained political leaders were gaining momentum.
   The Election Commission on October 2 announced the schedule for general elections, keeping December 18 as the polling day but failed to complete the mandatory registration of the political parties before the deadline announced for submission of nomination paper.
   Then it revised the dates for submission of nomination papers, their scrutiny and the date for withdrawal of candidature. But there was no clear decision on lifting of the state of emergency.
   The BNP chief Khaleda Zia on November 20 announced that her party would join the elections if the polls were deferred by 10 days and its four-point demand, including complete lifting of the state of emergency, was accepted.
   In response, the government and the Election Commission launched a multi-pronged dialogue with political parties.
   The commission finally announced a fresh schedule deferring the polling date by 11 days to December 29.
   The government was also compelled to lift the state of emergency ahead of the polls.

The chief election commissioner, ATM Shamsul Huda, in a televised speech on Sunday evening assured the nation of all necessary preparations for a free and fair election on Monday (today) and invited voters to apply their voting rights.
   ‘I’m inviting all voters, regardless of political differences, to go to polling centres taking the opportunity of secured environment and cast their invaluable votes,’ the CEC said.
   He mentioned three key measures, security measures, photo voter roll and translucent ballot boxes, that would ensure a free, fair and credible vote.
   The top election official presented a brief review of the Election Commission’s roadmap over the past two years towards the much-awaited 9th Jatiya Sangsad election.
   Describing the security measures being taken by law enforcing agencies, the CEC said, ‘From the experience of city corporation and municipality elections last August, we’re confirmed that the environment on the general election day will also be peaceful.’
   ‘I’m requesting you to go to voting centres and cast votes for two more special reasons, one is photo-included voter roll and the other is translucent ballot boxes.’
   With these measures, it is almost impossible to adopt unfair means in
   the elections, the CEC assured.
   To the voters, the election chief gave some tips on how voters can cast their ballot ‘effectively’, from knowing their respective polling centres ahead of time, having voter serial numbers ready.
   He also mentioned that EC officials and government officials will discharge their election duties properly on the day and the process of announcing polls results from constituencies was secure.
   Mobile phone networks will run as usual on the day, though voters will not be allowed to take mobile phone devices into the polling centres.
   He assured the nation that the counting of the votes will be neutral.
   Huda dubbed December 29 a historic day for the country: ‘After a rough journey, we are now standing at a critical juncture of the nation. Only a firm confidence in democracy, can lead us to overcome all crises.’

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson, Khaleda Zia, on Sunday said that she was feeling relaxed after completing preparations and hectic campaigns across the country for the general polls on Monday.
   ‘I feel relaxed as I have done all the works, and still I am in good health,’ Khaleda Zia told while exchanging views with newsmen at the National Press Club on Sunday.
   Attired with a yellow sari, Khaleda Zia came at the press club in joyous mood to share views like the previous general elections held in 1991, 1996 and 2001.
   She, however, evaded about 30 questions on the ‘mistakes’ of her government, size of the incoming cabinet if her party is voted to power and concrete plans, if there is any, to improve political culture, as she was evidently careful about the code of conduct of the parliamentary elections.
   Khaleda, who led the entire electoral preparations of the BNP-led four-party alliance in general, and BNP in particular, toured 50 districts and addressed about 200 scheduled and unscheduled meetings in 16 days since December 12.
   When asked about her inspiration for holding rallies at late night and travelling most of the districts in short period of time, the former prime minister said, ‘Working to save the nation and save people was my inspiration.’
   She thanked the people who joined rallies and processions braving deep fog and severe cold at night during her tours across the country.
   She also expressed her gratitude to the almighty for keeping her health good despite carrying out the laborious campaigns day and night.
   The BNP chairperson also thanked the journalists who accompanied her during the tours braving cold in the past 16 days.
   BNP fielded candidates in 259 constituencies for the polls, leaving 40 seats for the four-party alliance partners.
   Apart from selecting candidates, holding negotiations with the alliance partners over seats sharing and conducting nationwide campaigns for the polls, Khaleda Zia put overt and covert pressure on the military-controlled interim government for total withdrawal of the state of emergency for creating an atmosphere congenial to free, fair and credible elections, according to the BNP insiders.
   She set electoral strategy of BNP and prepared the election manifesto with the help of small teams comprising politicians and retired civil and military bureaucrats, before making it public on December 13.
   She started electoral campaign on December 12 after visiting shrines of Hazrat Shahjalal, Hazrat Shah Paran and Hazrat Gazi Burhanuddin.
   National Press Club president, Shaukat Mahmud, and general secretary, Kamal Uddin Sabuj, also spoke at the function.
   Meanwhile, different diplomats and foreign election observers met BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia Sunday night at her Gulshan office.
   The US ambassador, James F Moriarty, British high commissioner, Stephan Evans, a three-member delegation of the National Democratic Institute, a delegation of International Republican Institute, and three members of European Union election observer team, were among the visitors.
   The NDI delegation chief and former US envoy in Dhaka Howard Shepherd told reporters that they expect today’s election would be held in a free and fair manner and the much desired democracy would return in Bangladesh. Shepherd said the NDI has 55 observers in Bangladesh to monitor the national polls.
   Of the diplomats, two did not talk with the journalists.

The European Parliamentary Party, the European Union polls observation team and the National Democratic Institute on Sunday hoped that Bangladesh’s ninth parliamentary polls today would be free and fair through which the people would elect a new government.
   ‘We hope that the best election will be held this time in Bangladesh’, Charles Tannock, chairman of a 10-member delegation of the European Parliamentary Party and the EU polls observation team, told reporters after a meeting with Awami League president Sheikh Hasina at her Sudha Sadan residence.
   He hoped that all the political parties would accept the results of the elections. ‘Nothing untoward would happen in the elections’, he added.
   The Awami League on Sunday said it was confident of winning an absolute majority in today’s polls.
   The party’s election steering committee co-chairman HT Imam expressed the optimism while talking with reporters after the meeting.
   ‘We, along with our allies, will win nearly 200 seats in the general elections out of 299 parliamentary constituencies [in which polls will be held today]….We are expecting an absolute majority’, Imam said.
   ‘The EPP team wanted to have Sheikh Hasina’s opinion about the elections and she told them she was satisfied with the voter list and the transparent ballot boxes to be used in the polls’, Imam said.
   Imam, also a former cabinet secretary, said the AL had appraised the EPP delegation of its stance on the election observation. ‘We believe there should be international polls observers before, during and after the polls.’
   He said that at the meeting the AL had also expressed its reservations about some local poll monitoring groups in which there were some identified terrorists.
   Earlier in the morning, a seven-member delegation of the International Republican Institute led by Cherry Newman, its special councillor on African affairs, and a three-member team of the British Parliamentary Board headed by Baroness Paula Manzila Uddin called on Hasina. They also hoped that the election in Bangladesh would be held in a free, fair and peaceful manner without any trouble.
   British high commissioner in Bangladesh Stephen Evans was present with the delegation.
   In the afternoon, a seven-member team of US-based NDI led by Howard B Schaffer met the AL chief at her Sudha Sadan residence.
   ‘We saw in 2001 how harmful the local election observers can be for the country and we request all foreign election observers to be more vigilant this time to ensure a free and fair election’, Imam said.
   He said the NDI team had appreciated the positive campaigns and remarks of Sheikh Hasina.
   Schaffer said they hoped that all the political parties would accept the results of the elections and stressed the need for active participation of the opposition parties after the polls in order to make the new parliament effective.
   Former ambassadors Mohammad Zamir and Ziauddin Ahmed were present at the meetings.

The Awami League, Bangladesh Nationalist Party and other political parties have made a number of pledges containing common agendas in their manifestos for the 9th parliamentary elections, but they have different views on some national issues.
   The common pledges of the parties include reduction in essential goods prices, food security, job creation, increased power generation, step against corruption and terrorism, and measures to protect the economy against the global recession.
   The two main aspirants for state power, in their manifestoes, included major development issues such as construction of the Padma bridge and modern seaports, apart from promising formation of commissions to revise salaries of the fixed-income people, providing agricultural subsidy and covering the poor with social safety net.
   The Jatiya Party of former military ruler HM Ershad and the left-leaning Workers Party of Bangladesh and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Inu) too announced separate but similar manifestos. They are components of the Awami League-led alliance. The Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, a major ally the BNP-led alliance, announced its agendas.
   The Communist Party of Bangladesh and Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal announced their own manifestos, outlining agendas such as measures to arrest price spiral. development in education, health and social sector work, food and shelters for all including the poor, drives against corruption, violence and looting and restoration of the 1972 constitution.
   Addressing terrorism and militancy is one of the major issues regarding which the major parties have made conflicting pledges. The Awami League pledged regional task forces to combat militancy and terrorism while the BNP differed with the proposal and said it would go for a regional approach on the issue. In her address to the nation aired on television, the BNP chairperson, Khaleda Zia, said regional task force would threaten Bangladesh’s security and sovereignty.
   Left-leaning political parties have also said the issue should be addressed with a regional approach, but regional task forces should not be formed.
   The AL’s and BNP’s manifestoes seeking a five-year term in office through the today’s (Monday) voting are full of pledges as BNP placed a 36-point agenda and AL a 23-point proposal before the voters in their respective programmes for national progress.
   In their manifestoes, both the parties failed to focus on some major national issues such as poor people’s access to justice and developing a pro-poor public healthcare system, guaranteeing equity with higher economic growth, checking farmland depletion and protecting environment in view of global warming.
   Converging on a point for making the parliament [Jatiya Sangsad] more effective to settle all differences in national issues through debates for overall development, the two parties, however, subtly took two lines in pursuing their political goals. While the AL promised political and economic reforms to build Bangladesh as a modern democracy, the BNP stressed establishing a responsible and accountable political system, including amendments to the provisions of the caretaker government system in the constitution.
   Both the AL and the BNP made commitment for making judiciary more independent and Anti-Corruption Commission functioning.
   AL president, Sheikh Hasina, making public her party’s polls manifesto on December 12, said if voted to power, they would formulate a national defence policy, keeping the armed forces above all controversies, for building patriotic, brave, efficient and indomitable forces.
   BNP chairperson, Begum Khaleda Zia, presenting her polls manifesto in December 13, said if mandated to power, the armed forces and the law enforcing agencies would be made stronger and more organised as they will be equipped with sophisticated weapons and modern technology as well as training.
   AL chief Sheikh Hasina gave promises for making education free up to degree level in phases and formulating a new education policy, while Khaleda Zia made commitment to make the country free from illiteracy in next five years.
   On the issues of women, Sheikh Hasina is in favour of direct elections to the one-third seats in the parliament, reserved for women, and Khaleda Zia gave commitment to create an atmosphere so that more women could be elected to parliament and local bodies for participating in the decision-making process at all levels.
   The AL also made pledge to hold trial of the war criminals of 1971 and check militancy in any forms with an iron hand, if voted to power.
   The BNP remained evasive on the war criminal issue, but emphasised controlling militancy and violence with a strong hand, maintaining communal harmony in the country, if her party mandated to power.

Israeli tanks massed at the Gaza border on Sunday as warplanes again pounded Hamas targets in the densely populated enclave where raids have killed more than 280 people in less than 48 hours.
   Dozens of tanks and personnel carriers idled at several points near the border after Israel warned it could launch a ground offensive in addition to its massive air bombardment, AFP photographers reported.
   Hamas responded by firing rockets the farthest yet into Israel, with one striking not far from Ashdod, Israel’s second-largest port, some 30 kilometres north of Gaza. It caused no casualties, medics said.
   In the latest plea for the violence to end, Pope Benedict XVI implored the international community to do ‘all it can to help the Israelis and Palestinians on this dead-end road... and not to give in to the perverse logic of confrontation and violence.’
   But the Israeli defence minister, Ehud Barak, vowed to ‘expand and deepen’ the bombing blitz, unleashed in retaliation for persistent rocket fire by militant groups.
   ‘If it’s necessary to deploy ground forces to defend our citizens, we will do so,’ his spokesman quoted him as saying.
   The cabinet gave the green light to call up 6,500 reserve soldiers, a senior official told reporters after the meeting.
   Warplanes continued to pound the impoverished and overcrowded territory of 1.5 million people, where many streets were deserted and schools and shops stayed shut as hundreds of funerals were held.
   Businesses in the occupied West Bank, including annexed Arab east Jerusalem, observed a strike in protest at the onslaught, which has killed at least 282 people and wounded more than 600 since early Saturday, according to medics.
   The Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert, said the campaign was launched ‘in order to regain a normal life for the citizens in the south who have suffered for many years from incessant rocket, mortar and terror attacks.’
   Israel is ‘aiming to change the situation on the ground whereby in the future there will be a tranquil border between Israel and Gaza,’ the welfare minister, Isaac Herzog, told reporters.
   But Hamas, which has controlled Gaza since ousting forces loyal to Western-backed Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in June last year, remained defiant.
   Its exiled leader Khaled Meshaal called in Damascus for a new Palestinian intifada, or uprising, against Israel and promised more suicide attacks. Hamas’s last suicide bombing in Israel was in January 2005.
   The Israeli bombardment, one of the bloodiest 24-hour periods in its 60-year conflict with the Palestinians, sparked huge international concern.
   In New York, the UN Security Council called for an ‘immediate halt to all violence’ and urged all sides ‘to stop immediately all military activities.’
   In Rome, the pope said that ‘the terrestrial homeland of Jesus cannot continue to be the witness of such bloodshed which is repeated ad infinitum.’
   Egypt, which had brokered a six-month truce between Israel and Hamas that expired on December 19, said it was trying to negotiate a new ceasefire.
   But a senior Israeli official said that ‘we have our goals and our timetable and we don’t seek mediation.’
   Israel’s main ally Washington has blamed Hamas ‘thugs’ for provoking the offensive by firing rockets into the Jewish state from Gaza, and urged Israel to avoid causing civilian casualties.
   Amid the bombing, Barak authorised the passage of an aid convoy into Gaza on Sunday, his spokeswoman said.
   Israel has kept Gaza largely sealed off since the Hamas takeover allowing only very limited supplies of basic goods into the aid-dependent territory.
   Egypt, which has slammed Israel over the bombing campaign, on Sunday criticised Hamas for not allowing hundreds of wounded to enter its territory through the Rafah border crossing — Gaza’s only one that bypasses Israel — to receive medical treatment.
   The Israeli offensive sparked protests in the occupied West Bank, where one demonstrator was killed in clashes with police. Twenty thousand people rallied in Egypt and hundreds in Dubai.
   Israel unleashed ‘Operation Cast Lead’ against Hamas in the middle of Saturday morning, with some 60 warplanes hitting more than 50 targets in just a few minutes.
   By Sunday, some 230 targets had been hit, the military said.

Bangladesh Sunday expressed deep concern over the deteriorating situation in Gaza following Israeli air strike on Saturday that killed 210 people.
   A foreign ministry spokesman expressed ‘deep concern’ over the situation in Gaza following the Israeli air assault that reportedly killed 210 people.
   He said the issue was ‘deeply troubling’ to all peace-loving people and added that the ultimate solution of the Palestine issue lies in its settlement in accordance with the relevant UN resolutions and with Palestine as a sovereign state with Jerusalem as its capital.

The chief adviser, Fakhruddin Ahmed, urged the electorates to cast their votes consciously and wisely and appealed to the political parties to gracefully accept the results of today’s crucial general election.
   ‘Let us get united and participate in an appropriate democratic process. I hope tomorrow’s (Monday’s) parliament elections will be a classic example not only for our nation but also in the international domain,’ he said in his address to the nation over radio and television on the eve of the polls.
   In his apparently last national address as head of the caretaker government at 8:30 Sunday night, Fakhruddin told the voters that the stature of their representatives and mode of development in their areas as well as overall development depend on their decision.
   ‘You are now sitting in the chair of judge… Keep it in mind that we are going to take a decision for five years through our single day’s verdict. We’ll not make mistake in taking the decision, Inshallah,’ he said.
   Fakhruddin, who took over power at a critical juncture of the nation on January 12, 2007 under the state of emergency following the January 11 changeover amid a political crisis, urged the parties to shun malice, violence and hostile mindset in the post-election period and be co-partners in the future journey.
   ‘We want to find unity, solidarity and unity in diversity. Today, it is critically important to have mutual respect, harmony and tolerance,’ he said.
   The chief adviser said people’s verdict should turn to be the responsibility of the elected representatives and the people’s support and trust should be the commitment to build a happy Bangladesh by fulfilling the basic needs.
   He said he had not performed his responsibility in the last two years with emotion or affection rather followed the constitution and government rules. ‘We’ve tried to accomplish the assigned responsibility with only a few advisers and assistants,’ he said, adding: ‘We’ll not claim cent-per cent success for all our sincerity and efforts.’
   The chief adviser said his caretaker government embarked upon a journey for political reasons and that journey ends up with restoration of politics. He hoped that a free, fair, neutral and transparent election would be held today and it would remain a shining example for the next generation.
   ‘We hope all will accept the election results in good grace,’ he said, adding that the next parliament will fulfil the aspirations of the people and steer the nation towards development and progress.
   ‘Let violence and clash be gone, let discrimination and differences be removed and let conflict be resolved,’ he said in his valedictory speech and urged the people to face the future challenges holding the nice dream of independence in ever heart. ‘Make it sure that new generation does not need to look up the meaning of independence so we can present the nation a nice dream of Bangladesh.’
   The head of the outgoing interim government said, ‘We had mistakes too. Maybe, sometimes we had been unintentionally the cause of someone’s sorrow. For that I sincerely express my regret. I hope you will forgive our flaws and failures.’
   Fakhruddin regretted the sufferings of people due to the price hike of essential items, pushing up the inflation at home as high as 10 per cent, with sharp rise in prices across the world for high-priced fuel oils and food items on the international market.
   ‘This caused tremendous pains for us,’ he said, adding that the inflation already started declining and recorded 6.2 per cent in November this year. He hoped that the indicator would continue to decline in the coming months due to substantial increase in production of food in the country.
   There is no scope for thinking otherwise,’ he said in his 26-minute speech, touching upon all aspects of the military-backed caretaker government’s eventful two-year rule.

Auto-rickshaws, taxicabs, microbuses, jeeps and pick-up vans will not be allowed to ply the roads in the metropolitan areas including Dhaka till midnight today.
   Other vehicles including private cars and public buses, however, will be allowed to ply in Dhaka, Chittagong, Rajshahi, Khulna, Sylhet and Barisal metropolitan areas.
   Outside the metropolitan areas, the Election Commission has imposed restrictions on plying of all motorised vehicles and mechanised boats which include auto-rickshaws, taxicabs, microbuses, jeeps, pickups, cars, buses, trucks, human haulers, launches and boats during midnight past Sunday to midnight past Monday. The ban will not be applicable to vehicles plying the highways.
   The EC press release, however, said the ban would not be applicable to the authorised and identified transports to be used by the local and foreign election observers and journalists, employees on election duty and members of the law enforcement agencies, ambulances and the vehicles to be engaged in electricity, gas, telephone and postal services.
   The ban may be relaxed for the vehicles to be used by the candidates and their election agents, with the permission from the returning officers. The ban will not be applicable to the movement of boats in haor and reverine areas.
   A special ban on the movement of motorbikes in all parts including the metropolitan areas across the country came into effect on Saturday and will remain in force till December 31 midnight.

At least 24 persons were killed and 15 others injured when a truck fell into a road-side ditch at Garinda near Tangail town on Sunday morning.
   The police, quoting the witnesses, said the accident had taken place at about 9:00am when a Bogra-bound rod-laden truck from Dhaka, also carrying 45 people plunged into a road-side ditch killing 23 on the spot and injuring 16 others.
   The victims were mostly day-labourers coming to their villages of different districts on board the truck to cast votes in the national elections to be held today.
   On information, the police came and sent the injured to Tangail General Hospital, where one of them later died.
   Fifteen of the deceased were identified as A Kader of Sundarganj in Gaibandha, Romen, 35, of Taras in Sirajganj, Enamul of Polashbari in Gybandha, Akbar of Mithapukur in Rangpur, Akram of Singra in Natore, Fatik of Gabindoganj in Gaibandha, Habibur of Hatibandha in Gaiban, Rafiqul, A Salam of Nagorpotol in Sirajganj, A Rahim of Sherpur in Bogra, Munir Miah, 11, of Bhuapur in Tangail, Lalon of Raiganj in Sirajganj, A Aziz of Kajipur in Sirajganj, Afsar of Kabirhat in Sirajganj, Shahjalal of Kabirhat in Sirajgonj, Nazimon, 35, of Sundarganj in Gaibandah.
   The identity of other deceased could not be known immediately.
   A passenger Ibrahim said the accident occurred as the truck was plying the road amid dense fog.
   The deputy commissioner of Tangail, Makchudur Rahman Patwari, the police superintendent Abdul Mannan and Tangail municipality mayor Jamilur Rahman Miron visited the spot. Later, they also visited the injured in the hospital.
   The truck driver and his assistant managed to get away. A case was filed with Tangail sadar police station in the connection.

Mobile networks will remain switched on today to facilitate communications on the polling day today.
   ‘Mobile networks will remain switched on this time during the parliamentary elections to keep communications uninterrupted,’ the chief election commissioner, ATM Shamsul Huda, said Sunday evening in an address to the nation aired on television.
   He, however, said no one would be allowed to enter the polling centre with mobiles while casting vote. ‘Without authorised persons, nobody will be allowed to use mobiles in the polling centres,’ he said.
   The EC Secretariat earlier in the day sent a letter to the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission saying that suspension of networks in certain areas might become essential on the polling day. It also asked for necessary steps in such cases.
   ‘Mobile networks will remain active on the polling day although there is a provision for suspension of network in some areas,’ Mihir Sarwar Morshed, deputy secretary at the EC Secretariat, told reporters.

The president, Iajuddin Ahmed, will cast his vote in the Bangabhaban Government Primary School polling centre at about 11:00am and the chief adviser, Fakhruddin Ahmed, will cast his vote in the Gulshan Model High School polling centre at about 10:00am today.
   The Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson, Khaleda Zia, will cast her vote in the Adamjee Canton-ment Public College polling centre at about 10:00am.
   The Awami League president, Sheikh Hasina, will cast her vote in the Dhaka City College polling centre at about 8:00am.

The government has put in place five-tier security with the deployment of more than 6 lakh security personnel across the country for the general elections today.
   Home ministry officials said 80,567 personnel of the police, Rapid Action Battalion and the Armed Police Battalion and 466,000 Ansars personnel were deployed across the country.
   This is the highest number of lawmen ever deployed for polls secu- rity in Bangladesh’s history, said ministry officials.
   More than 35,000 polling centres have been set up in 299 electoral constituencies.
   In the Dhaka city, 38,928 policemen and Ansars personnel have been deployed, the highest number ever for polls, the officials said.
   A five-tier security arrangement has been put in place for the elections in the capital.
   Forces will remain deployed in each polling centre, police teams will patrol 10 polling centres in groups, two platoons of lawmen will be kept standby in each police stations, two platoons more in each crime division headquarters and two more platoons in each of the four sub-control rooms of the police at Shahbagh, Abdul Gani Road, Chancery Police Lines at Gulsn and the Mirpur Public Order Management Division so that forces could be sent easily to any spot during emergencies, the officials said.
   Sixteen teams of women police will also be put on patrol duty in all the eight crime divisions of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police.
   Bomb disposal squad, special women police team and the Strategic Weapons and Tactics team of the Detective Branch will be kept as special support to tackle any situation. Policemen in plainclothes will also keep vigil.
   Apart from the police, Ansars and Village Defence Party members, all other security forces will be
   kept as striking force and they will move to anywhere whenever needed, said the home ministry
   officials.
   About 50,000 troops will be in place as striking force in district and upazila headquarters to fend off any trouble. They moved out of the barracks on December 18 and they were deployed on December 20.
   Coast guards will deploy 18 teams at the polling centres in coastal areas, the officials said.
   Major Mahmud of the Bangladesh Rifles said about 15,000 BDR personnel were deployed on polls duty, but they would remain as striking force. They will not be deployed at polling centres.
   The paramilitary force will be on guard in 70 out of 87 frontier upazilas independently while they would guard the rest of the upazilas along with the army men, he said.
   The home ministry officials said the deployment of law enforcers at polling centres began Sunday afternoon and they would stay at the centres overnight.
   They started carrying election materials to the remote stations amid strict security.
   The ballot boxes, ballot papers and other materials would be taken to remote areas in the hill tracts in helicopters, the officials said.

Thirty-six people were killed and 15 hurt Sunday in a suspected suicide car bomb attack in an area of northwest Pakistan rocked by a violent campaign to impose Islamic law, the police said.
   The massive blast destroyed a school in the town of Buner on the edge of the restive Swat valley, where voters were casting ballots in a parliamentary by-election, and caused the collapse of a nearby market, the police said.
   No one immediately claimed responsibility for the blast, the latest in a wave of suicide and other attacks across Pakistan that have left more than 1,500 people dead in the past 18 months.
   The Pakistani military has been fighting Taliban-linked militants in the picturesque Swat valley - once a tourist hotspot - for more than a year, but the violence has continued unabated.
    ‘We have recovered more dead bodies from the debris and the death toll is now at 36,’ local police official Behramand Khan told AFP.
   ‘We believe that a suicide attacker blew up his explosives-laden car near the wall of the school,’ he said, adding that the blast had caused ‘massive devastation’.
   Seven of the 15 injured were in critical condition and were taken to the main hospital in Peshawar, for treatment.
   The police found the remnants of a car outside the school, Khan said,
   but added officers were still unable to say definitively whether the blast was the work of a suicide attacker.

Skipper Mahela Jayawar-dene smashed his 24th Test century and shared two century stands with Kumar Sangakkara and Thilan Samaraweera to help Sri Lanka stretch their lead over Bangladesh to 406 runs in the opening Test on Sunday.
   Jayawardene remained unbeaten on 129 off 219 balls cracking 15 fours and six to take the game out of Bangladesh’s reach after the end of third day’s play at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.
   Thilan Samaraweera followed his first innings score of 90 with 62 in the second innings before he was bowled by Mashrafee bin Murtaza, a dismissal that prompted the umpires to call off the third day’s play for bad light.
   Sri Lanka reached 291-4 at the close thanks to twin century stands involving Jayawardene. The Sri Lanka captain first put on 135 runs with Sangakkara and then added 138 with Samaraweera after the visitors’ second innings had got off to a horrendous start.
   Malinda Warnapura was trapped lbw for six by Mahbubul Alam and Mashrafee uprooted the stumps of Michael Vandort on eight to leave Sri Lanka reeling at 18-2. Sangakkara and Jayawardene steadied the innings and the former was rewarded with his 27th Test fifty before he was caught by keeper Mushfiqur Rahim off Mehrab Hossain for 67.
   Bangladesh struggled to get a wicket in the final session as their main bowling hope Sakib al Hassan was successfully negotiated by the Sri Lankan trio. The hosts were also not helped by the Lady Luck.
   Centurion Jayawardene was lucky not to be caught behind off Alam and five balls later he reached the century, pulling the same bowler though midwicket for a boundary, as the ball was declared ‘no-ball’ for overstepping.
   Earlier in the morning, Muttiah Muralitharan wasted little time in folding Bangladesh’s first innings when he snapped up his sixth wicket to bowl the home side out for just 178.
   After fog delayed play for 30 minutes, Bangladesh resumed at 177-9 but were dismissed in the final ball of the first over when Warnapura caught Alam at forward short-leg for a duck.
   Muralitharan had completed his 66th five-wicket haul in Tests on the second day and finished with figures of 6-49 after Sri Lanka had made 293 in their first innings. With these wickets Muralitharan’s tally against Bangladesh now stands at 82 in 10 Tests.

Burglars took away furniture, computers and others valuables worth about Tk 2 lakh from the office of National Human Rights Commission on Minto Road in Dhaka on Sunday.
   Amirul Kabir Chowdhury, chairman of the commission, said burglars took office equipments and official documents worth about Tk 2 lakh. They have filed a case with the Ramna police, he added.
   Sub-inspector Shahidul Alam, duty officer of the Ramna police, said Aftab Ahmed, a secretary of the commission, filed a case with the Ramna police against some unidentified people.
   None was arrested till 7:30pm on Sunday.

Ashura will be obser- ved on January 8 as the moon of the month of Muharram was not sighted anywhere in the country Sunday.
   As the new moon was not sighted Sunday, so the month of Muharram or the new year of Hijri 1430 begins on Tuesday, according to a decision taken at a meeting of the National Moon Sighting Committee held in the evening at the Islamic Foundation.