Bangladesh's ruling party declared winner of parliamentary elections

Bangladesh's ruling Awami League (People's League) party was declared the winner in Sunday's general parliamentary elections, Azernews reports.

However, the leader of the political force, Sheikh Hasina, who will now take over the post of prime minister of the South Asian country for the fifth time (and the fourth time in a row), canceled the victory march amid opposition protests.

final data has not yet been announced. However according to various sources cited by the local press, the Awami League secured from 209 to 223 seats in parliament, which in any case guarantees it a parliamentary majority.

According to the Bangladeshi Daily Star newspaper, Prime Minister Hasina instructed the leaders of her party, as well as her supporters, not to hold a traditional victory march after the announcement of the results. In addition, she also advised her supporters not to come into conflict with the opposition and avoid provocations.

The main opposition force, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), is boycotting the elections and has announced a strike until Monday morning. The radical opposition began an active campaign of street protests last summer, demanding Hasina's resignation.

According to the election commission, 1,9 thousand candidates competed for seats in parliament. There are 350 deputies in the unicameral Parliament of Bangladesh. Of these, 300 are elected by universal suffrage - they can be both men and women, and another 50 seats are reserved only for women, these seats are divided between parties in proportion to their representation.