Bangladesh, India: Electoral Implications at Home and Abroad

Five controversial election commissioners in Bangladesh resigned Jan. 31 in an attempt to bring the South Asian country out of political gridlock and move forward with plans to hold parliamentary elections. The elections' outcome will matter little, however. The country's attention will continue to be absorbed by the bitter rivalry between Bangladesh's two main political parties, the Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. For next door India, these elections have exposed a growing security threat from a variety of militant actors, including the United Liberation Front of Asom.