Don't underestimate the public

Once again, the Bangladeshi voters have demonstrated that it is best to never underestimate them. Once again they have delivered a verdict as clinical as it has been mature, and shown that when they are able to exercise their franchise without fear for their safety they are able to render decisive and critical judgments.
There is little question that had free and fair elections been held as originally scheduled on January 11, 2007 that the voters would have then dealt the BNP-led four-party alliance a severe rebuke at the polls.
The BNP-led alliance was rightly unpopular due to the fact that throughout the course of its five-year tenure it had ignored major problems such as rising prices and power generation, and had instead concentrated on centralising and misusing its authority for personal and political gain.
The arrogance of the last four-party alliance government translated into an attitude of zero accountability for it actions and zero respect for public opinion.
This was not all. While violence has always been a regrettable feature of Bangladeshi politics, it rose to unprecedented levels under BNP-led rule, and the climate of fear inculcated during their reign of terror over the country undoubtedly contributed to the alliance's unpopularity.
From assassinations of major opposition figures, including one attack aimed at wiping out the entire opposition leadership, that occurred and went uninvestigated on the alliance's watch, to the fire-bombing of factories and burning down of houses of political opponents, to attacking peaceful opposition rallies and processions, to petty extortion, toll collection, land grabbing -- the voters could be forgiven for thinking that they were being ruled by a mafia outfit rather than a democratically elected government.
The fear was that the two years of caretaker government rule would have dimmed public memory of their misdeeds or indeed that the electorate would now be sympathetic to the alliance due to its stand against the interim government and out of sympathy for the excesses committed against it over the past two years.
But whatever public sentiment on the performance of the caretaker government, it is clear that the voters were able to see that the current government was not on the ballot and were able to render a resounding judgment on the performance of the last elected government.
The second point to note is that the BNP ran an extraordinarily negative campaign in which they tried to frighten the electorate and appeal to its worst prejudices. It is heartening to note that the voters have totally rejected the tired old rhetoric of "save Islam" and "save the nation" fear-mongering.
Finally, the BNP-led alliance acted as though it had learned nothing from the events of the past two years. The alliance leaders refused even to acknowledge their misdeeds, let alone show contrition for them, instead suggesting that everything was a conspiracy against them.
The truth is that the BNP didn't deserve to return to power. They are a party bereft of ideas at this stage and totally in thrall to their worst elements. The BNP needs to clean house and begin the rebuilding process from the ground up. The voters understood this perfectly. Underestimate or ignore them at your peril.