TIMELINE: Sheikh Hasina wins landslide

(Reuters) - The "Grand Alliance" led by Bangladesh's former prime minister Sheikh Hasina won a massive parliamentary majority in the country's first polls in seven years, officials said on Tuesday.

Here is a timeline of the leadup to the election.

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 the ensuing weeks 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 263 seats in the 300-seat parliament. The group led by Begum Khaleda Zia wins 31 seats.

(Writing by Gillian Murdoch and Carl Bagh; Additional writing and editing by David Cutler and Jerry Norton)