Bangladesh's newly elected lawmakers were set to be sworn in Thursday as the victorious ruling party moved to form a government days after a general election marred by deadly violence and an opposition boycott.

The planned swearing-in comes despite demands by the opposition to cancel the poll results and growing international pressure to hold fresh elections that can be seen as credible and inclusive.

A Bangladesh court charged top human rights activists on Wednesday for publishing details of a police crackdown on Islamist protesters last year that said dozens of people were killed.

A prosecutor said the heads of Dhaka-based rights group Odhikar were charged with publishing "false" reports online that stated 61 people were killed during the violent May street protests to demand a blasphemy law.

Bangladesh's opposition leader Khaleda Zia accused Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of "murdering democracy" as her arch rival faced growing calls Tuesday to hold fresh polls after a walkover election.

The United States led international pressure for a swift re-run that would include all the major parties, brushing aside Hasina's insistence that a boycott by Zia's opposition did not undermine her legitimacy.

The United States expressed disappointment Monday after Bangladesh's elections were marred by bloodshed, and called for a new vote that would "credibly express the will" of the people.

"The United States is disappointed by the recent parliamentary elections in Bangladesh," State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf said, amid electoral violence in the South Asian nation.

Bangladesh's prime minister insisted Monday that her re-election in polls boycotted by the opposition was legitimate and said her rivals must shun "terrorist activities" before she would talk to them.

The boycott by the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party should "not mean there will be a question of legitimacy", said Sheikh Hasina, whose Awami League party won Sunday's vote by a landslide.

Bangladesh's ruling party defied pressure Monday to open talks with the opposition after its walkover win in an election marred by unprecedented bloodshed, boycotts and low turnout.

Despite warnings that Sunday's crushing victory did not amount to a mandate, the ruling Awami League vowed to "eliminate militancy" as the death toll from election-day violence rose to 24.

Thousands of protesters firebombed polling stations and at least 18 people were killed as Bangladesh's ruling Awami League cruised to victory Sunday in an election boycotted by the opposition.

Police said they had opened fire at protesters as they torched more than 200 polling stations and stole and burnt ballot papers to try to sabotage the poll.

Dozens of polling booths were torched on the eve of Bangladesh's violence-plagued election Saturday as the opposition staged a general strike in a final act of defiance against the "farcical" polls.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party, which is boycotting the vote, called the 48-hour strike but it has little chance of thwarting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's re-election in what is effectively a one-party contest.

Bangladesh opposition leader made a last-ditch plea Friday for voters to boycott this weekend's "farcical" elections and accused the government of placing her under house arrest.

"I am urging my fellow Bangladeshis to completely boycott this scandalous farce," said Khaleda Zia, whose Bangladesh Nationalist Party has refused to take part in Sunday's election.

Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina ruled out Thursday any last-minute cancellation of weekend elections that have been boycotted by the opposition, accusing her rivals of holding the country hostage.

In a final address to the nation ahead of Sunday's violence-plagued polls, Hasina accused opposition leader Khaleda Zia of shunning dialogue and rejecting an offer to share power in an interim administration.