Sheikh Hasina to serve as Bangladesh PM for 20 years now
Dhaka, Jan 8 (IBNS): Sheikh Hasina is all set to serve as the Bangladesh Prime Minister for 20 years now.
After coming to power by winning the polls recently, Hasina entered her fourth term as the PM of the Muslim majority nation.
This is her third straight term as PM.
"This is her fourth term in office. With the tenure from 1996 to 2001 and three terms in a row since 2008, she heads for a record 20 years as the prime minister," reported The Daily Star.
Hasina took oath as the PM on Monday.
Bangladesh Polls: Awami League emerges victorious amid rigging charges by opposition
The polling in the country was held on Dec 30.
Amid reports of sporadic violence, which left 17 people dead, Bangladesh's ruling Awami League returned to power for the third straight time.
The opposition alliance, Jatiya Oikya Front, won just 7 seats.
BNP demands re-elections:
Key opposition party Bangladesh Nationalist Party demanded a re-election.
The party’s Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir spoke to media and demanded for re-election under a non-party caretaker government immediately.
US expressed concerns:
The United States on Wednesday expressed its concern over reports of violence and irregularities during Bangladesh elections and said it 'undermined faith in the electoral process'.
A statement issued by the US state department said: "In this light, we note with concern credible reports of harassment, intimidation, and violence in the pre-election period that made it difficult for many opposition candidates and their supporters to meet, hold rallies, and campaign freely. We are also concerned that election-day irregularities prevented some people from voting, which undermined faith in the electoral process."
The United States is Bangladesh’s largest foreign investor, largest single-country market for Bangladeshi exports, and home to a large community of Americans of Bangladeshi origin.
"We strongly encourage all parties to refrain from violence and request the Election Commission work constructively with all sides to address claims of irregularities. Bangladesh’s impressive record of economic development and respect for democracy and human rights are mutually reinforcing, and we look forward to continue working with the ruling government and opposition towards advancing these interrelated goals," it said.
Hasina and her past 10 years:
Besides the economic progress of Bangladesh, Hasina was also applauded for acting tough after a deadly Islamic State attack in the capital Dhaka's diplomatic area in July 2016, claiming several lives.
She also earned accolades for sheltering hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims who fled there from neighbouring Myanmar.
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