Friday, December 26, 2008

Fear of instability after Bangladesh elections

The Malaysian Insider in a report today observed: "there is a high risk that the (Bangladesh's) election result will be contentious, leading to lengthy legal wrangling or street protests that would hamper the next government's effectiveness."

The report looked into several election-related situation in Asia countries and had this to say about Bangladesh:

Bangladesh may be in a position early in 2009 to restore full civilian rule for the first time in over two years. The caretaker government has recently lifted emergency rule, in a move essential to allow the general election scheduled for December 29th to proceed.

However, a return to political “normality” also probably means a return to the perennially fractious status quo that led the military to intervene in the first place.

The country remains deeply divided between supporters of the two leading parties, the Awami League (AL) and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party.

We expect the AL to win the general election, based on the party’s performance in municipal elections held in August. But there is a high risk that the election result will be contentious, leading to lengthy legal wrangling or street protests that would hamper the next government's effectiveness.

Read the full report here:

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