Bangladesh Elections: Secular Party Wins

South Asia, especially India, has reasons to celebrate the return of secular and democratic government in Bangladesh. Former Prime Minister Ms Sheikh Hasina’s (photo above) Awami League has won a landslide victory in Bangladesh’s election, reports the BBC.

It is heartening that democracy has also returned to India’s immediate neighbourhood, including Nepal, Bhutan and Pakistan. Myanmar or Burma remains a sad exception.

“Election officials say the Awami League alliance has won more than 250 of the 300 seats in parliament. More than 70% of Bangladesh’s 81 million voters are thought to have cast their ballots in a poll intended to return the country to democracy after two years of rule by a military-backed government.” More here…

And here is the profile of Ms Sheikh Hasina…

The New York Times reports: “After two years of army-backed emergency rule, democracy returned to Bangladesh as the secular Awami League party secured an overwhelming victory in election results announced on Tuesday.

“It was unknown whether the army would fully give up power and return to the barracks. Ms. Hasina has promised to quash Islamist extremist groups in Bangladesh, a largely Muslim country.

“She has been a target of the extremists’ ire already, having been wounded by a grenade at a 2004 rally in an attack linked to Islamist radicals that killed 23 people.” More here…

AFP reports: “The US government congratulated Bangladesh for Monday’s successful and peaceful election, saying the high turnout reflected a ‘desire to see democracy restored’ in the south Asian nation.” More here…

The Economist writes: “Asked what they wanted from a new government, most voters—of whom some 45% live on less than a dollar a day—had a simple answer: cheaper food. In this one respect, the government may be in luck. A good rice harvest and lower international prices for fuel and other commodities have already dented inflation.” More here…