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Alliance moves to ease Bangladesh fears

Zia was replaced as prime minister by Hasina in 1996
Zia was replaced as prime minister by Hasina in 1996  


DHAKA, Bangladesh (CNN) -- After a preliminary count in parliamentary elections handed a four party alliance led by Khaleda Zia a resounding victory, the former prime minister moved to ease fears Bangladesh would become an Islamic state.

Despite an allegiance with three Islamic parties, Zia told reporters that religion would not play a part in her government.

"An Islamic republic was not an alliance pledge," she said.

The election was expected to be a close race between Zia and Bangladesh's last prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

Unofficial results, however, had Zia's coalition winning 203 of 299 parliamentary seats. Hasina's Bangladesh Awami League party was trailing with only 61 seats. Ballots from 17 seats remain uncounted.

Preliminary figures show that representatives from the Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Okiya Yote parties had won 17 of Zia's coalition's 203 seats, the Associated Press reported.

Both parties want to replace Bangladesh's secular laws with Islamic laws.

It is unclear how the election will impact on relations with the United States or on Bangladesh's support for the U.S.-led campaign against terrorism.

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The month-long election campaign was marked by fierce rivalry between the two leading candidates and by widespread violence between supporters of rival parties that left 157 dead and thousands injured.

Already Hasina has challenged the count, suggesting massive vote rigging, and claims her supporters were harassed during the poll.

Hasina ended her five-year term on July 15 -- the first government in Bangladesh's history to serve a full term.

Since July, former chief justice Latifur Rahman has headed a caretaker government.

Under the country's constitution, a caretaker government must be installed before elections can be held.

Hasina's Awami League won the last election in 1996, defeating Zia's BNP.

The elections are the fourth since the return of democracy in 1990 when the two joined forces to oust military ruler Hossain Mohammad Ershad.

Around 200 U.N. poll observers monitored the elections and said the poll was largely fair and peaceful with a heavy turnout of voters.

The election, however, seems unlikely to end the political violence, strikes and political boycotts that have plagued this South Asian nation and sapped its economy.

The violent and bitter pre-election campaign saw both Hasina and Zia promising to reduce poverty, strengthen democracy and create more jobs.

However, the two politicians have refrained from making any commitment to prevent supporters from launching general strikes or boycotting parliament.

Political strikes cost the Muslim-majority nation at least $3 billion a year in lost production and exports.



 
 
 
 



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