Supriyo Saha, a Kolkata native studying in Bangladesh for five years, shared insights on the political climate in Bangladesh just after the February 12 elections. He described the atmosphere there as "festive" with many hopeful for a better future under a new government. "I feel a bit safer in Bangladesh now because most political parties are trying to restore normalcy," he said. People were excited to take part in what they believed to be "a very open and fair election after at least 15 years." He noticed citizens speaking out against religious fanaticism and opposing election campaigns based on religion. Though daily life hasn’t changed much, Saha noted an increase in freedom of speech. He witnessed massive rallies where people actively supported and questioned candidates. "Many candidates faced significant backlash for their actions during the past one and a half years," Saha observed. He highlighted a major political shift: "After almost 36 years, Bangladesh is going to have a male Prime Minister, which in many ways might or might not affect the gender politics in that country." Regarding India-Bangladesh relations, he said, "Anti-India sentiments also seemed to be slowly losing its grip." Many people spoke about the good ties the two countries once enjoyed, even as some groups mention ‘Indian hegemony.’ Bollywood music remains very popular despite tensions. What gives him hope for change? Many political parties now believe in co-existence, and many independent candidates refused corporate funding, raising hopes for transparent elections. "People believed the elections to be transparent. This might give lawmakers a chance to act more freely, without any pressure from big corporates," Saha explained. His parents also hope for stability after the elections. Recently, his mother increased her calls to ensure his safety. He shared a troubling experience some Indian friends faced crossing the border to Dhaka, where one woman was misidentified as Bangladeshi and questioned for over an hour before being allowed to proceed. "Fortunately, they are all back home now," Saha said. The student plans to return to Bangladesh in March after visiting Kolkata three months ago.