Dhaka: Sheikh Hasina was sworn in for her second straight term as Bangladesh's prime minister, a week after her Awami League party secured a landslide win in the violence-hit general election boycotted by the opposition.
President Abdul Hamid administered oath of office to the 49-member council of ministers at Bangabhaban - the presidential house - here in a ceremony that was beamed live. Besides Hasina, 29 lawmakers took oath as Cabinet ministers. A total of 17 MPs were appointed as ministers of state and two as deputy ministers.
Prominent among those dropped from the previous government were Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, Home Minister Mohiuddin Khan
Alamgir and minister without portfolio Suranjit Sengupta, a minority leader.
Attired in an off-white sari, 66-year-old Hasina looked confident at the packed Darbar Hall of Bangabhaban. She pledged to preserve, protect and defend the constitution and sovereignty. "I, Sheikh Hasina, am taking oath...that I will discharge
my duties faithfully as the prime minister of the government as per the law," Hasina said to applause from the audience.
"You know well Sheikh Hasina does not bow to any pressure whether it is national or international...this country belongs to its people and in their interest, we will do everything required," she said.
Leaders of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) did not attend the swearing-in ceremony. This is Hasina's third term as prime minister. She also served as premier during 1996-2001.
The Awami League won over two-thirds of 300 seats in parliament in the January 5 polls, which were described as a farce by the BNP-led 18-party opposition alliance. The opposition boycotted the polls, demanding a neutral caretaker regime to oversee the polls.
The opposition led by former premier Khaleda Zia tried to derail the polls by calling strikes and blockades. Over 160 people were killed in poll-related violence since November.
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