SHEIKH HASINA of the centrist Awami League led the race to be Bangladesh's prime minister yesterday. But the job still eluded her as the nation faced a hung parliament and re polling was ordered in some districts.
Ms Hasina was well ahead of another strong woman, former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), but a final picture of the parliamentary election results will not emerge until the new round of voting is completed.
Bangladesh's Election Commission ordered the fresh voting at 116 polling centres in 28 of the 300 constituencies in which elections were held on Wednesday, the official BSS news agency said. It did not say when the voting would be held. The new polls were ordered because of sporadic violence in and outside those polling centres on Wednesday.
After Wednesday's election, which was praised by foreign observers despite the violence, the Awami League appeared likely to win power for the first time in 21 years but analysts predicted it would need the support of minority parties.
It could also need the backing of the Jatiya Party, led by jailed former president, Mr Hossain Mohammad Ershad, which was running third in the polls. The party is considered crucial to the future of a state that has a long history of political instability and army rule.
The Awami League led the field with 133 seats after results for 271 constituencies were declared, the news agency said, adding a recount had been ordered in one constituency. The BNP had won 104 and others 34, it said.
The results pointed to a hung parliament. Initial results in the 28 constitutencies where re polling was ordered had showed the Awami League ahead in 12 and the BNP in 13.
International observers said the elections, the second in four months, were free and fair.
Jatiya leaders said their support would be crucial for either the Awami League or BNP trying to form the next government.
"Neither the Awami League or BNP will be able to form a government without our support," said Shaheen Reza, a Jatiya Party (JP) leader. "JP will surely he a crucial factor."