Gazipur elections

Last weekend I served as an observer to the Gazipur city corporation elections. In itself, the city did not mean much. Strategically though, one can view it as mini national election. 

The incumbent party, Awami League got crushed and the opposition, BNP was triumphant again. Although a close fight was expected, nobody could predict the beating the Awami League candidate suffered. As of now, the Awami League's prospects dont look very bright for the national.

I am not going to go into what I think it caused the defeat for the ruling party: corruption, Padma Bridge scandal, the attacks against Yunus, the heavy handed approach against the Islamist movement. Let's just say that people are voting against the Awami League and not really for the BNP.

But that’s how it goes for a country where elections barely matter in improving the quality of life. That's why almost everybody you talk to here thinks nostalgically about the last time when the country was led by the military!