Bangladesh’s Young Leaders Struggle to Convert Protest Power into Votes
Dhaka, December 4, 2025 – After successfully toppling long-time Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh’s Gen-Z political activists are facing the challenge of transforming street protests into electoral victories. The student-led National Citizen Party (NCP), launched earlier this year, has captured public imagination but now finds itself grappling with entrenched rivals, scarce resources, and organizational hurdles as national elections loom in February.
Thousands of citizens initially flocked to hear the party’s promises to end decades of nepotism and challenge the dominance of traditional two-party politics. However, polls now suggest the NCP is struggling to maintain momentum.
Opinion Polls Place NCP in Third Position
The NCP, which plans to contest all 300 parliamentary seats, currently polls at just 6% support, trailing far behind the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) at 30% and Jamaat-e-Islami at 26%, according to a December survey by the U.S.-based International Republican Institute.
Party leader Nahid Islam, 27, who emerged as a prominent figure during last year’s anti-government protests and briefly served in the caretaker administration under Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, admitted that organizational weaknesses are a major challenge. “We haven’t had enough time to build a strong structure, but we are taking on the challenge,” he said from the party’s office in Dhaka, where walls are adorned with graffiti depicting past protests.
Internal Challenges and Funding Hurdles
The NCP faces multiple internal and external obstacles:
- Weak organizational structure due to the party’s rapid formation
- Limited financial resources, relying on small donations, crowdfunding, and personal contributions from members
- Vague policy positions, particularly on women’s and minority rights, which critics say dilute its revolutionary image
- Negative perception from corruption allegations, which the party denies
Young activists like Hasnat Abdullah, 28, have taken to door-to-door campaigning in villages, emphasizing principles over cash incentives. “A leader’s job is to ensure proper allocation of government funds, not to give voters money,” he said.
Balancing Independence with Political Alliances
To improve electoral prospects, the NCP is exploring potential alliances with larger parties, including the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami. However, analysts warn that such partnerships could undermine the party’s identity as a revolutionary alternative.
“If they ally with established parties, the public may no longer see them as distinct from the Awami League, BNP, or Jamaat,” said Dhaka-based political analyst Altaf Parvez.
Recruitment and Grassroots Engagement
Despite challenges, the NCP continues to pursue unconventional recruitment strategies. In November, the party interviewed over 1,000 ordinary citizens as potential candidates, including a rickshaw puller and a student partially blinded during protests.
Dr. Tasnim Jara, who left a successful career in Cambridge to join the NCP, emphasized the party’s mission to democratize politics. “We want to open up politics, not keep it confined to powerful families, and give power back to ordinary people,” she said.
Youth Engagement Offers Long-Term Potential
While the NCP’s immediate election prospects remain uncertain, its long-term goals focus on institutional reform and revitalizing Bangladeshi politics. Many young citizens remain inspired by the party’s commitment to change.
“Win or lose, just by participating in the election, we are offering something new,” said NCP leader Abdullah. Supporters see the party as a vehicle for egalitarian politics, representing a break from dynastic power, money politics, and entrenched political machinery.
BNP leaders have also acknowledged the value of engaging youth in politics. “Young people will dominate politics in the future, so it is important to accommodate them in parliament,” said BNP leader Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
Conclusion
Bangladesh’s Gen-Z politicians face the difficult task of converting the energy of a student-led revolution into a sustainable political force. The NCP’s future hinges on its ability to build organizational strength, clarify policies, and balance independence with potential alliances—all while appealing to a young electorate eager for change and reform.
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