Bangladesh: Sheikh Hasina sworn in as prime minister

By Diyar Guldogan

ANKARA (AA) - Sheikh Hasina on Monday was sworn in as the Bangladeshi prime minister for her fourth term.

According to the prime ministerial office, Hasina assumed office after a grand alliance led by her party Awami League won parliamentary elections on Dec. 30.

Hasina's party clinched a landslide victory in the violence-marred elections.

The opposition alliance led by the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party rejected the results accusing voter intimidation, vote rigging, and partisan behavior by election officials, and demanded a fresh election under a nonpartisan government.

The election commission and ruling party rejected the vote-rigging and election violence reports, saying the elections were mostly peaceful, fair, and non-violent nationwide.

Hasina became prime minister for the first time on in 1996.