ANALYSIS: The BNP winning the polls, its leader Tarique Rahman, son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, promised a "safe Bangladesh for all." Despite the persisting atmosphere of political violence since two years, polling passed off with only minor incidents, signalling a real democratic change set in motion. A once condemned "bottomless basket" is coming of age? A powerful competitor in democratic evolution is emerging in the neighbourhood of India, an India driven by demagogy of seven decades and a half, where many an alchemist has come and gone.

DHAKA, Feb 13 (INS): In the first national election since the 2024 uprising, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by Tarique Rahman, son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, has secured a decisive landslide victory.

The one-day voting for Bangladesh's 13th parliamentary election and a referendum for constitutional changes had concluded on Thursday evening and counting started soon after. Early results were out by Friday morning.

While the vote was described as largely peaceful by officials, it was marred by scattered clashes, crude bomb blasts, and the death of at least one political leader.

The unofficial results indicate a major shift in the parliamentary landscape. The BNP has secured an absolute majority, with reports indicating it has won between 151 and 211 seats in the 300-seat parliament.

Opposition Jamaat-e-Islami, which led an 11-party alliance including the National Citizen Party (NCP), is expected to emerge as the primary Opposition with approximately 41 to 70 seats.

Voters also cast ballots for the "July Charter," a package of constitutional reforms including prime ministerial term limits. Early counts suggest this referendum is likely to pass.

The Election Commission reported a final turnout of 60.69%.

Poll violence

Despite the deployment of over 900,000 security personnel, several violent incidents were recorded. At least one death was reported—BNP leader Mohibuzzaman Kochi died following a scuffle at a polling centre in Khulna.

Approximately 72 people were injured in 14 separate clashes across the country. Notable incidents occurred in Noakhali (31 injured) and Bagerhat (19 injured).

Awami League stronghold Gopalganj was rocked by violence overnight. Ten cocktail explosives were fired. Crude bomb blasts occurred at the Reshma International School in Gopalganj, injuring three people including two Ansar security members and a child.

A young Hindu tea garden worker was brutally murdered in the Moulvibazar area of northeast Bangladesh. A crude bomb blast at a polling centre disrupted voting in Munshiganj.

Election Commission senior secretary Akhtar Ahmed said nowhere voting was suspended and there was no serious incidents or disturbances.

Authorities detained multiple individuals for alleged irregularities, including the recovery of over 100 pre-stamped ballots in Sherpur-1 and vote-buying allegations in Chuadanga.

A 'safe' Bangladesh for all

This election marked the first time in nearly two decades that the Awami League, led by ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, did not participate as her party was banned. The Awami League’s electoral symbol, boat, therefore, did not appear on the ballot paper. Its registration was suspended. Hasina, currently in India, labeled the polls a "farce" and demanded a fresh vote.

“According to the Election Commission’s briefing, by 11 a.m. — just three and a half hours into voting — only 14.96% of eligible voters had participated,” she said in a statement.

In contrast, BNP's Tarique Rahman has promised a "safe Bangladesh for all" following his party's return to power. He is a contender to head a new government.

Head of the interim Government Mohammad Yunus said the election is “the beginning of an unprecedented journey toward a new Bangladesh.”

There were 55,454 observers from 81 local organisations and 394 from foreign countries as poll monitors.

A total of 1,755 candidates from 50 political parties and 273 independents contested the election in 299 (out of 300) constituencies.

The high profile candidates in the field included NP’s strongman candidate Mirza Abbas, National Citizen Party’s Nasiruddin Patowary supported by the 11-party alliance led by Jamaat-e-Islami, Independent candidate Rumin Farhana in Brahmanbaria and anti-Hasina uprising student leader Hasnat Abdullah from Comilla-4. Young Islamist Sharif Osman Hadi of Inquilab Mancho was planning to contest from Dhaka-8 before he was shot late last year.

A profound "coming of age"

An expert's analysis: Bangladesh is currently experiencing a profound "coming of age" moment, characterized by a major political, social and economic transition following the student-led "July Uprising" of 2024 that ousted long-time Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The nation is now navigating a, transitional period, marked by the first general election held on Thursday, featuring a high voter turnout and a shift towards new political leadership under an interim government.

There is a visible political transformation. Following the 2024 uprising, the country is undergoing a shift from authoritarian rule to a more competitive, albeit uncertain, political landscape. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) emerged as a major force in the elections, aiming to overhaul the system.

In an economic evolution, Bangladesh is transitioning from a "least developed" to a "developing" country, with graduation set for November 2026. It boasts a higher per capita income than neighbouring India in some measures, with significant growth in the textile industry and a budding startup ecosystem.

Here is the push and the dividend: With an average age of 26, the country is driven by a young population that is actively seeking greater accountability, economic opportunities and democratic freedoms.

Despite challenges, the country has achieved high rates of poverty reduction, falling from 80% in 1971 to under 19% in 2022. It also leads in green factory certifications.

However, the nation faces challenges, including a "structurally stagnant" economy, potential for renewed political instability and the need for significant reforms to prevent a return to previous, non-democratic or corrupt practices.

That is what exactly the silent operator Yunus' 84-point package is! May be his economic theories, built into the structural changes envisaged, are working advantage Bangladesh, a historically cursed land of perennial poverty.

The incident has triggered a debate on social media whether the officer refused to take orders from a party leader or he was accused of any corruption, some netizens justifying the handling in either case, that Ratnakar was blocking public welfare work! It is true the Govt machinery has been the enemy Number One of the people of this country, existing for itself and for these politicians, for well over seven decades. India will never make an inch of progress - real progress, not make-believe-progress - unless and until this machinery is eliminated.

The irony lies in her illustration of her experiences in the country she has been living in for the last four years. What it really is!

ANALYSIS: There have been cases of Britons going to Switzerland to get rid of a miserable life. Now once the House of Lords also passes the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, terminally ill Britons can call it quits with the help of a medical practitioner here itself. But the measure when comes into practice, will have very serious social consequences, it is feared. There won't be comparisons, even as tropes in Latin American folklores. The worst case scenario is of those who are not terminally ill also trying to misuse the provision to leave this world early when life with dignity is not available. But that is, in fact, a political question and not a moral imbroglio!

The CCTV footage and the video circulating on social media do not indicate any serious abnormalities in takeoff or descent, it has been confirmed. The disaster is becoming curiouser and curiouser. The flight path was not curvy. And the aircraft maintained a steady, gliding descent with its nose straight and the wings perfectly level. The pilot's distress call does not specify what prevented lift and climb-out. Here are some expert opinions. The sole purpose is to raise travellers' awareness about air travel.

Many of the victims were charred beyond recognition, making identification difficult. Three hundred nineteen body parts have been sent for DNA matching with relatives to determine the identities.

• The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla line provides Kashmir with all-weather connectivity and integrates the Valley with the rest of India.
• The saying 'Kashmir to Kanyakumari' is now a dream come true.
• The Chenab bridge on the line, an engineering marvel, is the world's highest railway bridge, taller than the Eiffel Tower. (Video: File)

A comment on social media on Kanimozhi's answer on the question of national language read: "Daughter of Kalaignar M. Karunanidhi. Delivered the Birthday Present to her Father!!" (Karunanidhi was born on June 3, 1924) (Today's headlines )

Trump said, "Elon is not really leaving" and will be "back and forth" to the White House because DOGE is his "baby." "I think he’s going to be doing a lot of things.”

Musk wrote: "My scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end... The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government." Now on it will be on auto-pilot.

PROGNOSIS: DOGE was prematurely born to protect the country by aborting an impending socio-economic disaster which very few people could see coming.

Although its immediate job was to save American taxpayers billions by slashing waste, eliminating fraud, cutting Government bloat and ensuring utmost efficiency in administration for the good of the people. (Today's headlines )

"Coming from a system like in England, empowering," she says she never had an idea of this sort of experience... being asked to “socialise with middle-aged men” who financed the event...humiliating...

Originally from Junagadh, Gujarat, Pataudi was relocated to Etawah Lion Safari in September 2019 before being transferred to Gorakhpur Zoo in 2021. Recently it was receiving treatment for pancreatic and liver infections. After tigress Shakti died in the zoo on May 7 due to bird flu, Pataudi was shifted to Kanpur. Some birds are also reported to have died mysteriously around Gorakhpur. All zoos in UP are closed for fear of a bird flu outbreak.

Three other animals too had died - a tiger, a leopardess and a female wolf. Wolf Bhairavi died last Saturday, leopardess Mona died the Thursday before that and tiger Kesari died on March 30. Some of them had Shakti's symptoms but the cause of death has not been confirmed yet.

As tourist inflow is an indicator of normalcy returning to an erstwhile terrorist infested Valley, the Government has been trying hard to make everything travel-friendly, launching lot many projects and bringing Kashmir on the national rail map that physically completes the process of Kashmir's integration with the rest of India. And that defeats the designs of Pakistan eyeing Kashmir and simply explains a recrudescence of terrorism in J&K.

The committee headed by justice Kurian Joseph will study Centre-State relations and make proposals to ensure foolproof separation of powers.

"It's a big victory not just for Tamil Nadu but for all Indian States. DMK will continue to struggle for and win State autonomy and Federal polity," Chief Minister MK Stalin said.

Of 2.08 km in length, it features 99 spans and a 72.5-metre vertical lift span that rises up to a height of 17 metres, facilitating smooth movement of ships while ensuring seamless train services to the holy town of Rameswaram on Pamban island.

ANALYSIS: There is a lot of hue and cry around the world over Trump's tariffs. But tariff, simply put, is a tax. But unlike tax, it affects the exporting country too. Domestic prices will go up for some time. Nothing more will happen, good or bad!

What motivated Trump's newfound policy, apart from being a stunt to justify his existence in the White House, is a false realisation that increased tariff will make foreign goods prohibitive, thereby boosting local production, and create more jobs, and more prosperity will ring in! If that is true, India would have been shining by now: Producing own Rolls-Royce La Rose Noire Droptail and Scotch Whiskies! And what about coconut and palm oil by America! (Today's headlines )

PROGNOSIS: It looks a Real New Trump is emerging - courageous, balanced, powerful and disinterested. Determined to save his country from the cliff, he has done quite a few draconian things that will reduce the burden of debts of the Federal entity, like the golden handshake, stopping senseless funding, pulling out of a worthless WHO. Shutting the Education Department is another. On the other hand, running it is also not the Centre's job either (We will convincingly elaborate it in the next chapter).

In India the scene is just the opposite. Centralisation is the core agenda and identity of the ruling dispensation without which it has no existence, or in other words, it exists for that set of schemes only. A realisation of this never dawned upon any Opposition party in 2014 or any time thereafter, what to talk of being able to see it coming 70 years ago! The consequence of all this violation of basic natural law of the universe we cannot predict.

THE AMERICAN CONUNDRUM: Political venom has migrated to top echelons in the US. It was reported last year NASA has become politicised, vitiated. But NASA refuted the charge. How Boeing developed a glitch but its unmanned return was smooth. When Suni-Wilmore were stranded last June, why the return was set for February? Because that comes only after January 20! SpaceX called the shots, for itself and for Trump. Then the mission was manipulated for March for a better bargain! In between, what made Elon Musk 'predict' during campaign if Kamala Harris wins he would be in jail. In politics, it is said, "the only rule is there are no rules." Difficult times for Americans too.

The terminations are part of a large-scale exercise going on all across Fed departments and organisations to reduce wasteful Government expenditure as decided by a Trump in a mess gone berserk, and improve administrative efficiency following the whims of billionaire and his associate Elon MusK and his DOGE. It has not been shared how terminations are going to raise the efficiency bar! It looks like Trump has stolen some of the prescriptions meant for India. But the American problems are quite different.

Suddenly these colonial clerks feel this effortless, little rule will tremendously enhance security and convenience for the railway passengers manifold. More stations will be covered in the next 77 years! (Also See: New Delhi station stampede... What went wrong?)