[Reader-list] BANGLADESH: Yes, I Voted

[Naeem Mohaiemen]

I meant to write "I hope we GET the Mujib of 1969, and NOT the one of 1974"

On Tue, Dec 30, 2008 at 2:12 PM, Naeem Mohaiemen
<naeem.mohaiemen at gmail.com> wrote:
> Everyone is a bit stunned at the size of the Awami League victory.
> Personally I get nervous about brute majority, I hope it does not go
> to their head. I hope we do not get the Mujib of 1969, and not the one
> of 1974, who cancelled multi-party democracy.
>
> However, on personal note, I am very happy that the Islamists were
> crushed at this election. In 2001 they won 17 seats, and were given 2
> ministries. Now they have won in only 2 seats. All major Jamaat
> leaders were defeated in the seats they ran from.
>
> Let us see. I think calling it "second independence" is hyperbole and
> sets us up for disappointment. Rather let's keep level head and keep
> the pressure on. Last night Abul Barkat (author of comprehensive study
> on Hindi disenfranchisement, whom I quoted in a recent report) was
> pointing to the religious/ethnic minority candidate victories and
> saying the overall election was a landslide mandate for secularism.
>
> Well easy to say those things on election day. I remain cautiously
> optimistic, and committed to keeping the pressure up to build secular
> Bangladesh.
>
> And saludos to the youth vote-- 52% of the total electorate.
> http://unheardvoice.net/blog/2008/12/28/mohaiemen-rtv2/
>
> On Tue, Dec 30, 2008 at 1:59 PM, Kshmendra Kaul <kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>> Dear Naeem
>>
>> That is a very nice piece by you.
>>
>> Wish Bangladesh all the best. Hope the elections live up to what has been
>> called Bangladesh's "second independence". Hope it is the final one.
>>
>> Best regards
>>
>> Kshmendra
>>
>>
>> --- On Tue, 12/30/08, Naeem Mohaiemen <naeem.mohaiemen at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> From: Naeem Mohaiemen <naeem.mohaiemen at gmail.com>
>> Subject: [Reader-list] BANGLADESH: Yes, I Voted
>> To: "reader-list at sarai.net" <reader-list at sarai.net>
>> Date: Tuesday, December 30, 2008, 9:02 AM
>>
>> Crushing defeat for Islamist candidates in the 9th Bangladesh elections.
>>
>>
>> Yes, I Voted
>> Naeem Mohaiemen
>> Daily Star, December 30, 2008
>> http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=69228
>>
>> The Secular Vote Bloc
>> Naeem Mohaiemen
>> Daily Star, December 29, 2008
>> http://unheardvoice.net/blog/2008/12/29/secular-vote/
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>