Dhaka  - Bangladesh's prime minister-in-waiting, Sheikh Hasina Wazed, Monday condemned Israel's military aggression in the Gaza Strip and called on Muslim leaders to help stop the attacks.

"Muslim states should do whatever possible to relieve the distressed Palestinians under the circumstances," Hasina was quoted as saying by an aide after a group of Middle East envoys called on the newly elected leader.

Dhaka  - Bangladesh's Awami Party, which is poised to form a new government, named Zillur Rahman as the country's next president, media reports said Sunday quoting party chief Sheikh Hasina Wazed.

"The party will nominate its presidium member Zillur Rahman as head of the state," Hasina said after her party's newly elected legislators took the oath of office, Ittefaq newspaper reported.

The 79-year old Zillur was elected deputy leader of the House by the party, to replace Iajuddin Ahmed as president after the new parliament goes into session.

"We want to recognize his contributions in all democratic movement in Bangladesh," said Hasina, who is expected become prime minister this week.

Dhaka - Legislators elected to Bangladesh parliament were expected to take oath on the weekend as the country inches back to democratic rule, officials said Saturday.

Dhaka - The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of former premier Khaleda Zia on Friday questioned the neutrality of international elections observers during Monday's polls, in which the party faced an embarrassing defeat.

"Their observations were never intensive; how could they (foreign observers) claim that the polls were free and fair without visiting majority of polling stations?" Khandaker Delwar Hossain, secretary general of the party, told reporters.

Kolkata, Jan 1 : Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee has congratulated Sheikh Hasina and her Awami League-led alliance on its victory in the elections.

Addressing media persons here last evening, Banerjee termed Hasina''s landslide victory in Bangladesh as a welcome change for democratic politics, and hoped that such trends would also be witnessed in West Bengal.

"As for West Bengal, we want a change for development, change for the people and West Bengal. It should be better for the country," said Banerjee.

Dhaka - Bangladesh's prime minister-elect Sheikh Hasina Wazed said Wednesday she hoped her new cabinet would be sworn in to office within the first week of the New Year.

"I hope the oath taking ceremony will take place within the first week of January after President's invitation to do so," Hasina told reporters after a meeting with President Iajuddin Ahmed at the presidential Bangabhaban palace in the evening.