Former prime minister 'seals landslide election win'

An election official says the political alliance headed by former prime minister Sheikh Hasina has won a landslide victory in Bangladesh’s first election in seven years.

Election official Humayun Kabir said in televised comments today on Channel-i that Ms Hasina’s alliance has won a two-thirds majority in the 300-seat Parliament. The election was held yesterday.

Mr Kabir did not give any figures, but television reports say unofficial tallies give the coalition led by Ms Hasina’s Bangladesh Awami League 255 seats, far ahead of the 32 seats netted by her archrival, former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.

The reports say that independents and small parties have won five seats, and that Ms Hasina’s alliance is leading in most of the remaining seats.