Many of us probably missed it, but on Tuesday a long awaited election happened in Bangladesh, and two years of military-backed rule was broken through a free, fair and incident-free election. A record voter turnout voted for a secular, progressive alliance led by two women… big news for a small country, but going by the lack of mention by UK media, small news for the world… However, it is a result that has been much waited for by it’s people: Bangladesh rising.
Bangladesh still has a long way to go. But after all the votes have been counted, this is what remains: in this poor country, where many people cannot read or write, where women are still subject to draconian social and economic realities, where natural disasters strike with brutal regularity, corruption and religious extremism were resolutely routed out. People came by the millions to cast their votes because they knew that on this day, they would have their say. And speak they did, against a regime that had let them down once too many; against leaders who had refused to accept the responsibilities of their offices. Against all odds, Bangladesh is on the move.
Tahmima Anam in The Guardian
