Sheikh Hasina's 'victory' is evident, but how did democracy wither away?

With elections in India, the United States, Indonesia and the United Kingdom, among at least 40 countries, 2024 will likely see the largest exercise in voting in history. Some of these elections will be hard fought, with the results hingeing on a handful of marginal localities. Elsewhere, the broad contour of the outcome appears clear, but there will still likely be a robust competition between parties. Almost everywhere, the focus will be on the candidates, the voters they appeal to, promises they make and the implications of those promises should they win. In most cases, the elections are likely to…