PM Hasina stays parliament leader

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been elected the leader of the House for the fourth term in a row.

It came as the newly elected lawmakers of the Awami League held their first meeting at the National Parliament today, soon after they took oath.

PM Hasina was previously elected as the leader of the House in the seventh, ninth, tenth and eleventh parliament.

Meanwhile, Matia Chowdhury was appointed the deputy leader of the House, Noor-e-Alam Chowdhury Liton the chief whip, Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury the speaker and Md Shamsul Haque Tuku the deputy speaker.

Earlier in the day, Shireen Sharmin Chowdhury, who took the oath first, administered the swear-in as the speaker. Awami League candidates were the first to take the oath in the morning. Later on, Jatiya Party and independent candidates also took the oath.

The new members of parliament have to take oath within three days of publishing the gazette of the new names, according to the constitution of Bangladesh. But when will the gazette be published from the time of results, is not mentioned by the laws.

The Election Commission on Monday announced the unofficial results of voting in 298 of the country‍‍`s 300 constituencies, a day after the voting was held.

The ruling Awami League won 222 seats; the Jatiya Party 11 seats; the Workers‍‍‍‍` Party, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal and Bangladesh Kalyan Party one seat each; and independent candidates won 62 seats.