Dhaka  - The new government of Bangladesh will have to be nimble or risk being swept away by the ocean of expectations of an electorate that is demanding improved governance after this week's return to democracy.

In Monday's polls, the Awami League (AL) party, headed by Sheikh Hasina Wazed, won a crushing victory with 262 out of 299 parliamentary seats, defeating arch political rival Khaleda Zia and her Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). The BNP had enjoyed a two- thirds majority in parliament during its 2001-2006 regime.

The election comes after two years during which Bangladesh was run by an unelected government installed after a military coup. A record 87 per cent of the population turned out for the polls.

Dhaka  - Bangladesh's prime minister-elect Sheikh Hasina Wazed Wednesday called upon all political parties to join hands in her fight against poverty, which she called the highest priority for the impoverished South Asian nation.

"Poverty is the number one enemy of the country. We need a united effort to fight the enemy," said the 61-year old leader said in her first press conference since winning a landslide in Monday's polls.

Dhaka - Bangladesh's prime minister-elect Sheikh Hasina Wazed said Wednesday her government would work toward forming a regional task force to fight terrorism in South Asia.

"We will initiate the move to form a South Asian task force to ensure peace combating terrorism," Hasina told a crowded press conference in Dhaka, the first since her Awami League-led alliance won a landslide victory in Monday's elections.

"Progress is impossible without ensuring peace," Hasina said.

Dhaka  - Bangladesh's former prime minister Khaleda Zia has rejected the results of the country's general election, saying the outcome was stage-managed by the Election Commission, newspapers reported Wednesday.

"The Election Commission only announced a staged result set earlier," said Zia, who heads an alliance led by her Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) at a press briefing late Tuesday night

Zia lost Monday's elections by a huge margin to an alliance led by its arch-rival, the Awami League of Sheikh Hasina Wazed, also a former prime minister.

Dhaka, Dec 30 : Former Bangladesh Premier Sheikh Hasina''s Awami League-led grand alliance has won a stunning landslide victory in the country's ninth general elections.

The Election Commission (EC) has so far announced "unofficial" results of 295 seats of the 300-seat parliament saying, that Hasina''s alliance has won 229 seats while her arch rival Khaleda Zia''s Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led four-party grouping won only 27 constituencies.

Dhaka, Dec 30 : Former Bangladesh Premier Sheikh Hasina''s Awami League-led grand alliance has won a stunning landslide victory in the country's ninth general elections.

The Election Commission (EC) has so far announced "unofficial" results of 295 seats of the 300-seat parliament saying, that Hasina''s alliance has won 229 seats while her arch rival Khaleda Zia''s Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led four-party grouping won only 27 constituencies.