Boucher (left) and De Villiers sealed South Africa's victory

South Africa wrapped up the opening Test against Bangladesh with a five-wicket victory on the fourth day.

The tourists, who resumed at 178-4, collected the required 27 runs while losing the wicket of Ashwell Prince (38) in 10.4 overs in Mirpur.

AB de Villiers remained unbeaten on 19 while Mark Boucher was not out on two.

South Africa were later fined for their slow over rate, with skipper Graeme Smith losing 30% of his match fee and his players forfeiting 15% of theirs.

It was the 46th defeat for Bangladesh in 52 Tests, and their fifth in a row against South Africa, although those losses had been by innings margins.

The hosts could, however, take heart from the fact that they made South Africa fight hard for the win.

Bangladesh had looked set to build a substantial lead on the third day, with talented opener Junaid Siddique going strong on 74.

But Jacques Kallis cut short their aspirations through some inspired effort with the old ball.

The conditions were tougher than any other sub-continent wicket SA skipper Graeme Smith

His 5-30, his fifth five-wicket haul in Tests, saw the hosts bundled out for 182 and their second-innings lead restricted to 204.

Dale Steyn finished with 4-48 as Bangladesh's innings ended before lunch.

Smith then scored his 20th Test fifty off 80 balls, making 62 and putting on telling partnerships with Neil McKenzie (26) and Hashim Amla (46).

Smith was deceived by a Mohammad Rafique ball that kept low, and Bangladesh claimed two more quick wickets to renew hopes of what could have been only their second-ever Test win.

Shahadat Hossain, the bowling hero in the first innings with a career-best haul of 6-27, took the prized wicket of Kallis while Rafique accounted for Amla.

Kallis lost his wicket when he pulled one to Mashrafe Mortaza for seven, but the task remaining for the South Africans on the fourth day posed little challenge.

606: DEBATE Have your say on SA's win and the Tigers' plucky performance

Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful said his team should have done more to capitalise on the batting-friendly Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium wicket.

"I think we needed 50 or 60 runs more," he said. "We should have scored 250 plus in the first innings. Shahadat bowled really well on this kind of track."

Smith acknowledged the match was harder than the scoreboard indicated.

"The conditions were tougher than any other sub-continent wicket," he said. "I'm happy because it was good to see the batsmen did not make the same mistakes as they did in the first innings."

The second Test begins in Chittagong on Friday.