Over two lakh enumerators started collecting information about the prospective voters across the country yesterday while in the capital at least 25 people were injured in a clash between police and the activists of AL's youth front trying to lay siege to the Election Commission (EC) secretariat.

According to our correspondents from across the country, the first day's business was marked by confusion and lack of co-ordination among the enumerators as well as the public. People showed little interest to be on the list of would-be voters while there were hardly any campaign by the commission to generate public awareness to this end.

In some places, up to 40 percent of voters were reported to be enlisted while in many other areas no enumeration staff was found to be in the field. Especially the uncertainty stemming from two writ petitions pending over the preparation of a new list seems to have dampened the enthusiasm of the enumerators. Allegations of excluding individuals belonging to minority communities were also rife, report the correspondents.

As part of the countrywide agitation, the AL leaders at a rally in the city declared that they will not accept the voter list, the task of which was undertaken unilaterally by the chief election commissioner (CEC). The opposition leaders demanded the commission immediately stop the activities.

Against the backdrop of a significant number of local leaders of ruling BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami being appointed to supervise the huge task of collecting information about the prospective voters, apprehension is widespread about the fairness of the list to be prepared.

A number of competent candidates have reportedly been declared disqualified for the job because of allegiance to the opposition parties. The EC have all along stayed mum about the allegations.

The High Court is scheduled to hear the two writ petitions challenging the legality of the preparation of a fresh roll today. The petitions were filed on December 11 by AL lawmakers Rahmat Ali and Asaduzzaman Noor and AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil.

Meanwhile, enumerators yesterday broke with the long tradition of including the names of the president, prime minister and the leader of the opposition in the list on the opening day. Officials at the EC secretariat declined to say anything.

A total of 2,16,722 will continue going from door to door to collect information on the voters till January 7.

Although the two of the three election commissioners had opposed the recruitment in writing, the EC secretariat on orders of the CEC went on to appoint 83 registration officers, 6,270 assistant registration officers, 55,684 supervisors and 2,16,722 enumerators.

According to the timetable declared for the listing task, the supervisor will start check the collected information between January 8 and January 21 while assistant registration officers will begin re-checking those from January 22.

A draft list will be published on February 28 while complaints about that will have to be submitted by March 16. The revising authorities will resolve the complaints by April 1.

On completion of these phases, the final voter list will be published on June 1.

RECRUITMENT CONTROVERSY

Our correspondents report: Former Ameer of district Jamaat Abdul Khaleque has been appointed to supervise the voter roll process in Kurigram.

In Santhya of Pabna, Abul Hossain, a cousin of Jamaat Ameer and Industries Minister Motiur Rahman Nizami, has been assigned with supervision though he had retired from teaching 10 years ago.

But Hafizur Rahman, headmaster of Nandanpur High School of the same upazila, has been deprived of the job because of his involvement with the local chapter of Bangabandhu Parishad.

In Chittagong, around 300 madrasa teachers, mostly supporters of ruling coalition partner Jamaat, have been given the task to collect primary data about eligible voters.

Jamaat Ameer of Dhunat upazila in Bogra Rezaul Karim Bachchu and Jamaat Rokan in Sariakandi upazila Motiur Rahman have been appointed supervisor.

In the district, Gopalnagar union BNP President Joynal Abedin and Dhunat BNP's local ward unit President Anwar Hossain, Sadar union BNP President Sanwar Hossain too have been recruited to collect information.

In Khulna, headmasters of two schools Probir Kumar Mondol and Biswas Sumon Chandra have been disqualified for the job of supervising enumeration on suspicion that they might be supporters of opposition AL. Similarly, eight people recruited as supervisors of the enumeration task in Durgapur of Rajshahi have been axed.

JUBO LEAGUE ACTIVISTS CLASH WITH POLICE
At least 25 people were injured in the capital in clashes between the riot police and Jubo League activists over laying siege to the Election Commission yesterday.

The clash began when the activists of Awami Jubo League broke a police barricade put up at Shukrabad on their way to the EC secretariat to protest the CEC's unilateral decision to prepare a fresh voter list.

Police charged batons on the demonstrators and fired tear gas shells when the latter retaliated by pelting stones at the law enforcers.

Chases and counter chases between the police and Jubo League activists for more than 20 minutes from 12:00 noon created panic among the people along the Mirpur Road.

Ten of the injured were admitted to different clinics in the city, Jubo League leaders said.

Among the injured are central Jubo League leader Omar Faruk, the organisation's Dhaka City (South) unit General Secretary Mainul Islam Nikhil, photojournalists Firoz Ahmed of news agency BDNEWS, Mizanur Rahman Khan of the daily Independent, and Jiban, a personal photographer to the Leader of the Opposition Sheikh Hasina.

Prior to the march to the EC secretariat, several hundred Jubo League activists joined a rally on Russel Square at 11:00am. AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil MP, Joint Secretary Obaidul Quader, senior Jubo League leaders including Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Mirza Azam MP addressed the rally.

Protesting yesterday's police action against the Jubo League, AL's student wing Chhatra League, Jubo League, Swechchasebak League and Mahila League will bring out protest processions and hold rally on the party's central office premises today.

AL REJECTS FRESH VOTERS' ROLL
Addressing a rally in front of the party's central office, the AL leaders yet again rejected the move for a fresh voter list.

"BNP-Jamaat ruling coalition has conspired to deprive people of their voting rights in the name of fresh voter list," AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil said.

He blasted the EC's starting the work with two writ petitions against the process pending before the High Court.

Pointing to the CEC, the AL general secretary said, "You are making a fresh voter list favouring the government, but no election using this voter list will be allowed in the country.

"The CEC took the decision unilaterally and this is absolutely illegal," he said, adding, "We already rejected your appointment, and will reject everything you do."

He suggested updating the voter list rather than making a new voter list.

AL Joint General Secretary Obaidul Qader and Dhaka City Awami League Joint Secretary Qamrul Islam also spoke at the rally.

Later a party procession paraded different city streets.