Dhaka, Jan. 12 -- Despite threats from a section of the opposition, January 7 came and went, and Bangladesh did have its 12th parliamentary election, in line with the schedule announced by its Election Commission in November. It was never actually in any doubt of course, despite the naysayers, most of them swayed by their own biases. Whether they take any lessons from this or not, their voices will be less heard in the weeks ahead.

More inevitably than perhaps ever before, the Awami League won a comfortable two-thirds majority for a fourth election in a row, with low turnout the order of the day. Voting however was largely peaceful voting in at least 298 out of the 299 constituencies where voting was held, and there was a strong showing ...