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If the year 2008 has been marked by the return of democratic politics to the subcontinent, Bangladesh caps the trend this week. After two years of military rule, Bangladesh has begun its third experiment with democracy. One of the two 8220;battling begums8221; 8212; Sheikh Hasina of the Awami League and Khaleda Zia of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party 8212; is likely to re-emerge as the prime minister of our very important eastern neighbour. Given the dismal record of these two leaders, who symbolise Dhaka8217;s profound political schizophrenia, the return of democracy may not necessarily suggest that Bangladesh is moving forward. If the begums don8217;t give up their old ways 8212; a refusal to respect the results of elections and a temptation to continually side-step parliament in favour of street politics 8212; formal democracy may not offer much hope to Bangladesh and the region as a whole.

Yet, there is no denying the power of popular democratic sentiments in Bangladesh that compelled the army to give up its expansive political ambitions and restore representative government. The idea that an elite technocratic rule backed by the army could transform governance and politics in Bangladesh never really had much of a chance. The army and its caretaker government, however, deserve credit for cleaning up the electoral rolls and keeping violence down for these important elections.

India, which welcomed the restoration of democratic rule this year in Pakistan, Nepal and Maldives, will hope that Bangladesh might be third-time lucky. New Delhi had some reasons to be satisfied that it has not loomed large in the election debates next door. But the renewed maritime tension in the Bay of Bengal between the two nations in the last few days, whether real or manufactured, will probably play into the hands of those who have always mobilised anti-Indian sentiments for political gains. It is one thing for India to say that it will deal with whoever is in power in Dhaka; it is entirely another to avoid being dragged into the domestic politics of Bangladesh. Whoever wins the elections, India has no option but to return to the task of building good neighbourly relations with Dhaka.