Hasina wins poll in landslide

An alliance led by Bangladesh's former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina won a massive parliamentary majority in the first election in seven years, officials said yesterday, but a rival party complained of irregularities.

Analysts said it was unclear if the losers would accept the result or take their supporters onto the streets to protest, despite comments from independent monitors that the election appeared largely fair and credible.

Political confrontations, strikes and street violence have often hampered the effectiveness of Bangladeshi governments. Monday's election marked the country's return to democracy after two years of emergency rule imposed by an army-backed interim administration.