As everyone knows, Gen Musharraf has stepped down from presidency. When our generals and their bhodrolok allies embarked upon cleansing our politics in January 2007, it was westward to Musharraf’s Pakistan they looked. That’s why the Financial Times reported on 16 Jan 2007:

To be seen to be even-handed in its treatment of Bangladesh’s two feuding parties, the army might consider what is called the ‘Musharraf option’. Just as General Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan’s president, exiled Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, leaders of Pakistan’s two largest political parties after his 1999 bloodless coup, so might martial law lead to the expulsion of Mrs Zia and Sheikh Hasina, leader of the Awami League.

Now that the Musharraf era is over in Pakistan, what lessons should be drawn?

The most influential editor in today’s Bangladesh writes thus:

Not withstanding many differences (our tradition of democratic movement is stronger, people are far more aware of their rights, we have better social indicators, and our military today is far different from that of Pakistan and they are far more respectful of democracy and need for elected government than Pakistan army ever was), just as Pakistan looks forward to democracy, so do we. Just as in Pakistan where the two old parties, the PPP and the Muslim League, are set to resume their roles in politics, in Bangladesh, our two major parties, the Awami League and the BNP, are set to regain their dominance in our politics following the elections later this year. The question here is, just as in Pakistan, will our politicians rise to the occasion and play their patriotic and nation-building role so that the likelihood of military dictatorship is forever banished from our realm of possibility?

While pondering these, let’s turn our head eastward to Thailand. Here there was a prime minister who received strong mandate in repeated elections from the rural and lower middle classes. But he didn’t have much support from the urban educated classes and political forces who had a rich tradition of anti-dictatorship and pro-democracy politics. The PM was widely rumoured to be involved in serious corruption and abuse of power. Army intervened after political deadlock in 2006. Any of these sound familiar?

Thai voters returned the deposed PM Thaksin’s party with a clear majority, ignoring the corruption charges. Thaksin returned to Thailand, and was expected to resume office after legal formalities were done. It seems, however, that Thaksin prefers to fade away into exile (see here). Is there any lesson for us from the east?

Dear reader, what lessons do you draw for Bangladesh from the developments in Pakistan and Thailand? Looking forward to a vigorous debate (please avoid personal attacks and irrelevant comments).