Sheikh Hasina is set to be prime minister for the third straight term as her ruling Awami League-led Grand Alliance clinched a landslide victory securing more than two-thirds majority in the 11th general election.
It is a feat unprecedented in Bangladesh’s history since its inception as an independent country in 1971.
In 2014, her party retained power with a landslide victory in the 10th general election boycotted by its arch rival, BNP.
Awami League, led by Sheikh Hasina, also bagged more than two-thirds majority in the 2008 national election with BNP facing a crushing defeat, and she became the PM for the second term.
For the first time, Sheikh Hasina became the prime minister in 1996, when Awami League party, also led by her, came to power after a long span of 21 years.
The massive victory in the latest general election has paved the way for Sheikh Hasina to lead the government as prime minister for the fourth time, and, in a row, for the third time.
The Election Commission so far announced unofficially the results of 298 seats of the 300-seat parliament for this general election that witnessed the participation of all major political parties.
Out of the 298 seats where elections were held, the Grand Alliance won in 288 constituencies, including 268 seats bagged by Awami League.
Dr Kamal Hossain-led Jatiya Oikyafront, of which BNP is the main component, won in seven constituencies and others in three.
Voting in Gaibandha-3 constituency was postponed due to death of a candidate earlier and the results of Brahmanbaria-2 seat will be announced after re-election in its three centres.
Awami League-led Grand Alliance has swept the polls for what the Election Commission officials said a large number of voters exercised their franchise to elect the country’s 11th parliament.
Foreign observers and independent polls monitor groups said the election was held in a free, fair and peaceful manner, maintaining the world standard.
After the end of the polls time, Jatiya Oikyafront chief Dr Kamal Hossain, however, demanded of the Election Commission to give fresh election alleging that massive vote rigging took place in different constituencies.
Awami League president Sheikh Hasina, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Jatiya Party president HM Ershad, whose party is the key ally of Awami League-led Grand Alliance, won the polls from their respective constituencies.
Sheikh Hasina and Dr Kamal Hossain on Sunday expressed their confidence to win the people’s verdict with both showing “V” signs after casting votes in separate polling centres in Dhaka, BSS reported.
Jamaat-e-Islami, a crucial ally of BNP, failed to make any impression as its candidates contested the polls with BNP’s election symbol ‘sheaf of paddy’ announced to quit the race at the middle of the voting.
Sheikh Hasina, who is looking forward to run the country for the 3rd consecutive terms banking on her dynamic leadership and global image, asked her party men to show restraints and not to stage any victory processions until the results were published officially hopefully in next few days.
She also urged her rivals to accept the polls results to put an end to the culture of confrontational politics.
Earlier, braving the chilly weather polling went of peacefully across the country as nearly 7 lakh law enforcement personnel kept a sharp vigil on Sunday but according to reports coming from different areas after the polling, sporadic incidents of clashes among rival activists left several people, including AL activists, dead.
