Three days of celebrations have begun in Bangladesh as the ruling Awami League celebrates its golden jubilee and enters its fourth successive year in government.

Opening the proceedings, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said: "It is an important day for the party and its workers, who worked to help return the party to power and establish democracy."

The event is being attended by dignitaries from South Asia and the UK.

Sheikh Hasina also said she need another term to complete her plans - although the opposition have criticised her for failing to hold early elections.

Awami League founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman

The Awami League led the liberation struggle in Bangladesh and formed the first government.

During its early days, it was seen as a party of the middle class - among its objectives were socialism, secularism and democracy.

Within three years of independence, however, it banned all other political parties and, in the name of socialism, enforced one-party rule.

Its drive to create a socialist Bangladesh ended with the killing of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975 and the party went on to suffer from all kinds of repression by subsequent military rulers.

Return to power

Sheikh Hasina took charge of the Awami League in 1981, when the party was falling apart. Her decision to take part in elections held under military rule drew much criticism, but she managed to successfully reorganise her party.

The government's flood relief measures were praised

The Awami League won a majority in parliament in 1996, after it changed its socialist economic policies to capitalist and market-friendly ones.

During her three years in government, she has brought an end to tribal insurgency, improved relations with India and has been praised for her handling of Bangladesh's worst ever floods.

But, the law and order situation, reform in the state-sector and utility services are all issues that have had a negative impact on the government's popularity.