Bangladesh election 'step toward democracy'
Updated
The army-backed Bangladeshi government has called Monday's local elections a successful step towards returning to democracy.
The polls were monitored by more than 5,000 international observers, including teams from the European Union, who said it had been free and fair.
Early results show followers of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina won almost all the positions, in a vote held for mayors and councillors in four city corporations and nine municipalities.
The local elections were seen as a test run for national elections expected by December.
