The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The international community has greeted Awami League President and grand alliance leader Sheikh Hasina for achieving "landslide victory" in the 9th parliamentary election.

They also felicitated Bangladeshi people for their enthusiastic roll in the democratic process.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown rang Sheikh Hasina wishing her success, health and a long life.

"I hope the important ties between Britain and Bangladesh will further strengthen in future," Brown said.

Britain, in an official statement, said Bangladeshi people could be proud of holding the ninth parliamentary polls in a "free, fair and peaceful" way.

The UK's secretary of state for foreign and commonwealth affairs David Miliband, in the statement, urged the ruling party and the opposition to work together for nation building, shunning politics of confrontation and violence.

"The Election Commission, caretaker government and observers have worked hard to create conditions in which free, fair and peaceful elections can take place.

"The people of Bangladesh have spoken in huge numbers and they can be proud of the manner in which the elections were conducted," Miliband said in a statement released by the local British high commission.

"This is a historic moment for Bangladesh to cast aside the politics of confrontation and violence, in favour of inclusive and consensual democracy," he added.

Terming Britain as Bangladesh's friend, he said, "We urge the next government and opposition to work together to meet the expectations of the people in the days and years to come."

Benita Ferrero-Waldner, European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, congratulated the Bangladeshi people for peaceful participation in the parliamentary elections and called for a new approach from political parties to the challenges of governance in the country.

"I learned with satisfaction that the elections for the ninth Jatiya Sangshad of Bangladesh were conducted in a peaceful and orderly manner and that Bangladeshi people went to the polls in significant numbers," she said in a statement from Brussels.

The EU Heads of Mission in Dhaka welcomed the peaceful and orderly manner in which the people of Bangladesh exercised their franchise and congratulated Awami League and their allies on their victory.

The European diplomats look forward to working constructively with both the new government and opposition.

Norway, Switzerland and Turkey fully share the views and wishes expressed in this statement.

Australia yesterday welcomed Bangladesh's return to democracy after around two years following what it observed were 'peaceful and orderly' polls.

"Australia encourages all parties to work together to ensure a smooth transition and a strong future for the people of Bangladesh," the Australian high commission said in a press statement yesterday.

"The Australian government looks forward to working closely with the newly-elected government in areas of mutual interest."

"These include trade and investment, development assistance, counter-terrorism, education, migration and tourism," said the statement.