Bangladesh sees U.S., U.K. election critiques as grudging acceptance

DHAKA -- The governments of the U.S. and U.K. have termed Bangladesh's election "not free and fair" but said they would continue cooperation with Dhaka, casting some doubt on widespread assumptions that Western governments would take a tough stance over the South Asian country's controversial polls.

Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Awami League party secured a fourth straight term in power in Sunday's voting. But it was not much of a contest: The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party boycotted the election over Hasina's refusal to step aside for a neutral administration to oversee it.