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Sheikh Hasina takes oath as Bangladesh PM
Dhaka, Jan 7 (IBNS): Sheikh Hasina took oath as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh for the fourth time in her political career on Monday.
The new ministers, state ministers and deputy ministers also took oath as Sheikh Hasina is leading to form the government in the country for the third consecutive time.
Riding on a major victory in the general polls where Awami League and her alliance partners won 288 seats, Sheikh Hasina is taking charge of the nation for the third straight term since coming to power in 2009.
President Abdul Hamid administered the oath to the batch of new ministers in the country's iconic Bangabhaban.
The names of the cabinet members have already been publicised. In total, there are 47 ministers, state ministers and deputies – almost all of who are new faces, reported The Daily Star.
The newspaper further said: "Among the 47 members in the new council of ministers, 27 are first timers."
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.
Image: AGP Twitter page
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