Hasina willing to share power after victory in Bangladesh

Dhaka: Former Prime Minister Shaikh Hasina Wajed said on Wednesday she was willing to share power with the disgruntled opposition after winning a massive majority in Bangladesh's parliamentary election this week.

Hasina said she was ready to offer senior parliamentary posts to her bitter political rival, Begum Khaleda Zia, and her party, although Khaleda has rejected the results of elections that returned the impoverished country to democracy after two years of emergency rule.

Independent monitors said the ballot was fair, but Khaleda, also a former prime minister, has alleged widespread fraud. That has raised fears of street protests by her supporters.

Speaking at her first post-election news conference, Hasina urged Khaleda to accept the results, adding she wanted her government to work with all sides to establish a new political culture in Bangladesh.

She said, "As winners, we have to deal with everything with a sense of forgiveness and accommodation instead of vengeance, to take the country forward in cooperation with all irrespective of party affiliation.

"She (Khaleda) should accept the people's verdict. I am ready to work with everyone."

Hasina said was prepared to offer Khaleda and the opposition the post of deputy parliament speaker, among others in the legislature. Ministerial positions could also be given to the opposition if it was willing to cooperate with the government, she said.

Hasina's Awami League and its allies won more than two thirds of parliament's 300 seats in Bangladesh's first election in seven years on Monday. Khaleda's coalition took just 31 seats.