BEIJING AND CHITTAGONG, BANGLADESH — An alliance led by former Prime Minister Sheik Hasina Wajed won a landslide victory in Bangladesh's first election in seven years, officials confirmed Tuesday amid hopes that her strong mandate will help restore democracy and political stability to the troubled nation.
Wajed's secular Awami League, which won 260 of the 300 seats in parliament, is expected to form a government. The predominantly Muslim country's 150 million people have been under army-backed rule since early 2007.
Even before the results of Monday's election became clear, rivals led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia accused Wajed's group of vote buying and dirty tricks.
In a televised news conference, Zia said, "It is a farcical election," the Associated Press reported.
The charges raised the specter of a return to the divisive accusations, work stoppages and street demonstrations that have made it difficult at times for leaders to govern effectively.
Reuters news agency said one person was killed and 150 injured in clashes between rival factions in the Pabna area of western Bangladesh.
"The opposition may not accept the election," said Ataur Rahman, a professor at the University of Dhaka. "That could jeopardize parliamentary government. We want a more meaningful democracy and a functioning parliament, but that might not take place."
Thousands of observers, including many foreigners, monitored the balloting.
Analysts attributed the lopsided victory to Wajed's promises to alleviate poverty, her alliance's better political organization and a desire for change in the wake of Zia's 1991-96 and 2001-06 administrations.
"Many people voted [for] Hasina out of pent-up resentment over Khaleda's alleged misrule and corruption," said Abdul Aziz, 48, headmaster of a high school in Chittagong.
On election day, authorities deployed more than half a million soldiers and police officers to prevent violence in a nation with a history of political unrest.
"I feel proud to cast my vote in such a festive and free atmosphere," Jashim Uddin, 55, owner of a pharmacy in Chittagong, said shortly after voting. "We want to see an end to violence and terrorism. . . . In the past, we've had to give payoffs to local political activists just to run a business or do other things in society."
