[Reader-list] 2 Years Late, Bangladesh Finally Gets Elections

[Naeem Mohaiemen]

The last 2 years have been a strange trip for Bangladesh. A rude messy
democracy with violent street protests, interrupted by a Army takeover
on January 11, 2007 (1/11 numeromancy). The train of democracy had
"fallen off the tracks" we were told, and a "heavy crane" (the Army)
was needed. But heavy machinery seems to have done the proverbial
chinashop damage. Now the Army is finally returning to the Barracks,
and we wait to cast our vote on election day. December 29th. Back to
democracy?

I wrote about the failure of these Singapore politricks for Carlos
Motta's project "La Buena Vida"
http://shobak.org/text/WhatisD.pdf

The wake-up call for the Army were the August anti-army riots of 2007,
that started at Dhaka University (my half alma mater) and rippled
across the country. Which decisively gave a message-- we prefer messy
democracy to military rule. The Burma, Pakistan, Turkey model fell
apart. The streets spoke through student power, as in 52, 68, 71 and
91.

I did a project about the riots & aftermath at Dhaka Gallery Chitrak
http://mobileton.wordpress.com


This year, 52% of the voters are under 35, and half of them are first
time voters. No one knows what they will do.

I have never voted in Bangladesh. The three democratic elections after
fall of the 1980s Army regime were in 91, 96, 01-- I was in America
all three times. With so much at stake this time (army, islamists,
regional stability, democracy project), everyone expects record
turnout. But the results are up in the air. I'm off to vote in seven
hours. My mother didn't get her own voter number, so I'm expecting
some arguments at the polling station.

I wrote a few things on the elections below. Hope you will read
through to the end. It's not an "Obama election", there are many
disappointments among the candidates, but with all those limitations,
it's still very important for us, and for South Asia.

==============================
VIDEO
==============================
Two talk shows, these are in Bengali.

Youth Vote Not Prisoner Of History
http://unheardvoice.net/blog/2008/12/28/mohaiemen-rtv2/

Minorities, Global Competition & Mobiles
http://unheardvoice.net/blog/2008/12/25/rtv/

==============================
OP-ED
==============================
Don't Turn My Mobile Off
http://unheardvoice.net/blog/2008/12/26/mobile/

The Secular Vote Bloc
http://unheardvoice.net/blog/2008/12/29/secular-vote/


==============================
ON ETHNIC & RELIGIOUS MINORITIES
==============================
Chittagong Hill Tracts: Between Ashes & Hope
http://unheardvoice.net/blog/2008/12/24/election08-cht/

Hindu Bangladeshis: Citizens Not Enemies
http://unheardvoice.net/blog/2008/12/12/vpa/

Defenders of Minority Vote
http://unheardvoice.net/blog/2008/12/16/minority-vote/

Chittagong Hill Tracts: The Missing Pahari Vote
http://unheardvoice.net/blog/2008/12/02/cht-missing-pahari-vote/


==============================
PHOTO
==============================
KONDOL: Election Graffiti Sticker Project
[don't feed the monkeys]
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=66480&l=f07b6&id=636285043

JUMMA ETHNIC MINORITY
On Campaign Jeep With Ujjal Sriti Chakma
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=77862&l=31b5e&id=800138297

==============================
ONGOING BLOG COVERAGE
==============================
http://unheardvoice.net/blog