A generally ineffective way to cleanse the political system
Bangladesh is to have general elections on December 18th, almost two years after the army seized power amid a political crisis. According to The Economist:
The front-runners in the race to succeed a period of muddled rule by soldiers, spooks and technocrats are the heads of two feuding dynasties whose careers the army tried and failed to end: the former prime ministers Sheikh Hasina Wajed of the Awami League and Khaleda Zia of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)…
Even so, the view of the army, Bangladesh’s foreign aid donors and its voters is now that the “two begums” constitute the only offer on the table. The army tried to send them into exile, hoping new political parties would emerge; then it jailed them and their coteries on charges of corruption. In the end, they were freed on bail. It proved impossible both to hold them to account and to hold elections. [The Economist]
As The Acorn asked after the coup—just where did they think the new leaders would come from?
Ayyo, if onlee BD had let Dilli, or even Kolkata know, we could’ve sent our own Mamata di all freshly gift-wrapped in a new saree and with a huge “with luv from yindia” card to go with her…..
Would’ve solved everyone’s problems, or like the economists say, would’ve greatly enhanced net welfare…. heh heh