Pro-India Hasina sworn in as new Bangladesh PM

Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina, who has vowed not to allow her country's soil to be used for terrorism against India, was today sworn in for her second spell as Bangladesh's Prime Minister following her party's landslide win in the December 29 polls.

The 61-year-old leader was administered the oath of office by President Iajuddin Ahmad at the Bangabhaban presidential palace in a ceremony attended by nearly 1,000 guests.

The President also swore in 23 Cabinet ministers and eight state ministers, a week after Hasina's Awami League-led grand alliance swept the general election bagging 261 seats in the 300-member Parliament.

Fakhruddin Ahmed, the chief Adviser of military-backed interim government which ruled the country for two years, army chief Gen Moeen U Ahmed and Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus were also present at the ceremony, which was skipped by BNP chief Khaleda Zia whose party had its worst electoral drubbing  receiving only 29 seats.

However, a Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) delegation headed by its Vice President M K Anwar joined the function.

In her first post-victory press conference on Wednesday last, Hasina, nicknamed the 'Daughter of Democracy', took on board India's concerns and vowed not to allow Bangladesh's territory to be used for terrorism against its neighbours.

"The Bangladeshi soil will never be used to carry out any terrorist act against our neighbours," Hasina had said, adding that "continued good relations with neighbours", particularly with India, would be a major agenda of her government.