TIMELINE: Bangladesh returns to democracy
(Reuters) - An alliance led by Bangladesh's former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina took an early lead in unofficial results from Monday's parliamentary polls, according to election officials.
Here is a timeline of the country's political turmoil:
October 28, 2006 - Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia steps down at end of her five-year term. Twenty-five people die in political party clashes over appointment of a caretaker government.
October 29 - President Iajuddin Ahmed sworn in as head of a caretaker administration.
November 28 - Activists set fire to five election commission offices as the Awami League alliance, led by Khaleda's rival Sheikh Hasina, tries to force out election officials.
January 3, 2007 - Hasina announces boycott of January 22 election. Street protests bring Dhaka to a standstill.
January 11 - President Iajuddin declares state of emergency and steps down as caretaker head, handing role to Fakhruddin Ahmed, a former central bank governor. The January 22 election is canceled.
April 12 - Murder charges filed against Hasina and over 50 others over deaths of 10 activists in October 28 street protests.
July 16 - Hasina jailed by the army-backed interim government to await trial on charge of extorting $1 million from two businessmen while in power.
September 3 - Khaleda and her businessman son arrested and detained by security forces on corruption charges.
May 7, 2008 - Hasina formally charged for graft days after similar charges against Khaleda.
June 11 - Hasina released on parole and flies to the United States for medical treatment.
July 3 - The anti-Corruption Commission brings new graft charges against Khaleda for embezzling money from an orphanage.
August 5 - Hasina's Awami League supporters win almost all positions in local elections.
September 9 - Khaleda bailed after 12 months detention.
September 16 - Hasina granted bail in one of several corruption cases, allowing her to return from the United States.
November 3 - Interim government relaxes emergency rules to allow party meetings and rallies ahead of parliamentary election.
November 6 - Hasina returns to Dhaka from the United States.
December 11 - Hasina formally launches her election campaign. Khaleda launches her campaign the next day. In their ensuing campaigns they accuse one another of corruption, vote-rigging and inciting violence, and each says she fears for her life.
December 17 - Bangladesh lifts two-year-old state of emergency, but army is deployed across the country to insure a peaceful election process, heavy security forces are present at election rallies, and militants are detained and explosives seized.
December 29 - An alliance headed by Bangladesh's former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina wins 50 out of 65 seats in the 300-seat parliament, according to unofficial first results.
(Writing by Gillian Murdoch and Carl Bagh; Additional writing and editing by David Cutler and Jerry Norton)
