The New Nation - Internet Edition

Bdnews24.com, Dhaka

In a first comment since the historic landslide in Monday's general election, Awami League president Sheikh Hasina said yesterday she hoped to work with the opposition in parliament to strengthen democracy.

"[She] hoped to work together with all including the opposition to strengthen the county's march forward and democracy," AL election steering committee co-chairman HT Imam said.

Hasina made the comment when a UN delegation met her at her Sudha Sadan home in the city in the evening.

"The [delegation members] wanted to know from Sheikh Hasina what she would do after forming the government. In reply, our leader has said all will have to work together to go forward," Imam said.

Frances Vendrel, former EU permanent representative in Afghanistan, led the high-level delegation of the UN secretary general to monitor preparations for holding a free, fair and neutral election.

The team also comprised the former US ambassador to Bangladesh Howard B Shefer and representatives of US-based election monitoring organisations - National Democratic Institute and International Republican Institute.

Imam said the UN election monitors have expressed their satisfaction over Bangladesh's ninth parliamentary election, as they think it was a free, fair and acceptable one.

The upazila parishad elections will be held on schedule, because AL wants decentralisation of power, Hasina told the delegation members, as they wanted to know whether the election would be held.

She however requested the Election Commission to extend the deadline of candidacy withdrawal, as "we have received a number of requests from different upazilas in this regard", Imam said quoting Hasina.

Hasina expressed her hope that the caretaker government would publish Monday's election results as soon as possible for forming her government.

In a historic landslide victory, the Awami League-led grand alliance won as many as 260 seats in Monday's election, giving them more than an absolute majority in the parliament.

Caretaker government adviser M Anwarul Iqbal said yesterday power would be handed over to an elected government within 10 days, after the results were gazetted and oaths taken.

"The new government will be formed after the members-elect take oath as MPs, then the caretaker government will hand over charge to the incumbent new administration," Iqbal said.

The adviser said, "A gazette is published in three to seven days after the results are announced. Therefore there is no scope to go beyond 7-10 days."