High Turnout for Bangladesh Polls

A festive mood and enthusiasm marked Bangladesh's landmark general elections on Monday, that will end two years of rule by the army-backed interim government. Amid tight security, voters turned out in high numbers to elect a new democratic government. Election observers said the polls had taken place largely peacefully. The counting of the ballots has already begun and the results are expected to come out on Tuesday. The winner needs a simple majority of the 300 National Assembly seats. The leaders of the two main political parties, Sheikh Hasina Wajed of the Awami League and Khaleda Zia of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, wooed their voters by promising to lower food prices, take action against Islamist militancy and curb corruption.