Sawt Falasteen - Bangladesh's new PM Tarique Rahman takes power

Top of the list for 60-year-old Rahman will be to improving security, healing rifts in a country polarised by years of bitter rivalry, and tackling the economic woes of the world's second-largest garment exporter.

Rahman takes over from the interim government that has steered the country of 170 million people for 18 months since the autocratic government of Sheikh Hasina was overthrown.

"I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of prime minister of the government, in accordance with the law," he said, sworn in by President Mohammed Shahabuddin, in a ceremony held outside the parliament building, and broadcast on state television.

Rahman, chief of the BNP and scion of one of the country's most powerful political dynasties, won a landslide victory in the February 12 elections.

"This victory belongs to Bangladesh, belongs to democracy," Rahman said in his victory speech on Saturday.

"This victory belongs to people who aspire to and have sacrificed for democracy."

The new leader has pledged to restore stability and revive growth after months of turmoil that rattled investor confidence in the world's second-largest garment exporter.

He has also called for all parties to "remain united" in a country polarised by years of bitter rivalry.

"We are about to begin our journey in a situation marked by a fragile economy left behind by the authoritarian regime, weakened constitutional and statutory institutions, and a deteriorating law and order situation," he added in his victory speech.

After Rahman was sworn in, his ministers then lined up to take their oath of office.

Lawmakers, who all promised loyalty to Bangladesh, were earlier sworn in to parliament by the Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, before the BNP members chose Rahman as their leader.

- 'Peaceful opposition' -

Rahman's win marks a remarkable turnaround for a man who only returned to Bangladesh in December after 17 years in exile in Britain, far from Dhaka's political storms.

The BNP coalition won 212 seats, compared with 77 for the Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance.

Jamaat, which secured more than a quarter of seats in parliament -- a four-fold increase on its previous best -- has challenged results in 32 constituencies.

But Jamaat leader Shafiqur Rahman, 67, has also said the Islamist party would "serve as a vigilant, principled, and peaceful opposition".

Hasina's Awami League party was barred from taking part in the elections.

Hasina, 78, who was sentenced to death in absentia for crimes against humanity, issued a statement from hiding in India decrying an "illegal" election.

But India praised the BNP's "decisive win" -- a notable shift after deeply strained ties.

Only seven women were directly elected, although a further 50 seats reserved for women will be allocated to parties according to their share of the vote.

Four members of minority communities won seats, including two Hindus -- a population that makes up roughly seven percent in Muslim-majority Bangladesh.

Despite weeks of turbulence ahead of the polls, voting day passed without major unrest and the country has so far responded to the results with relative calm.

"If the BNP can do a good job with the economy, it will make everything else easier for the government," Crisis Group analyst Thomas Kean said.

"It will help to create a level of stability, to tackle the many other challenges beyond the economy."

G.AbuGhazaleh--SF-PST