Dhaka, Jan 6 : Shiekh Hasina, the President of the Awami League Party (AL), will be sworn-in as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh here today.

President Iajuddin Ahmed will appoint and administer oath of office to Hasina and her colleagues in the new council of ministers. He will also appoint and administer oath of office to the other ministers, state ministers and deputy ministers.

Hasina returns to power after spending a few months in custody on charge of murder, extortion and corruption. She has since been acquitted.

Dhaka - Police on Monday cleared Bangladesh's prime minister-in-waiting Sheikh Hasina Wazed of an extortion charge brought by a businessman eight months ago, officials said.

Police said investigators found no evidence that Hasina, the head of the Awami League, extorted 440,000 dollars from businessman Tazul Islam Faruk, who lodged the case with police in April.

"We submitted a report detailing the investigation to the court for its consideration," said a police inspector of Tejgaon police station.

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.