Revolution on the Streets, Defeat at the Polls
Dhaka | Desk: The results of the recent general election have presented a surprising political paradox. The same Gen Z generation that led the historic 2024 popular uprising, sacrificing over 1,400 lives to overthrow Sheikh Hasina's 15-year-old rule, has been completely left behind in the electoral arena. The National Citizens Party (NCP), a representative party of the youth born out of the rebellion, had to settle for only six seats in the 350-member parliament.
It is noteworthy that Bangladesh's parliament, known as the Jatiya Sangsad, has a total of 350 seats. Of these, 300 are directly elected, representing various constituencies. Fifty seats are reserved for women, who are chosen by the 300 directly elected members based on proportional representation.
Bangladesh's total population of 173 million is one of the youngest populations in the world. According to Election Commission data, approximately 44 percent of the country's total vote bank, or 56 million voters, are between the ages of 18 and 37. Experts predicted that if this vast youth had stood with the heroes of their 'revolution,' the face of Bangladesh's politics would have completely changed. However, the results clearly showed that the youth who took to the streets in protest felt it was safer to vote for the old and established Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) rather than their own party inside the polling booth.
According to the election results, voters overwhelmingly elected the Tarique Rahman-led BNP. The BNP defeated the Jamaat-e-Islami-led coalition, in which the youth-led NCP was a major partner. Now, Tarique Rahman is set to be sworn in as Bangladesh's new Prime Minister. He has promised to maintain peace and order and stated that no injustice will be tolerated under his government.
According to political analysts and young voters themselves, there are several key reasons behind the Gen Z party's decline.
Many young people, like 23-year-old student Sohanur Rahman, believe that the NCP's alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami was a major strategic mistake. Young people, dreaming of a "new politics" and a "secular future," saw the youth's alliance with the old fundamentalist parties as a "betrayal."
While the BNP had a strong grassroots organization and activist base for decades, the NCP was a new party. The youth had the zeal to protest, but they were unable to expand their network to every corner of the country in a short time.
After the fall of Sheikh Hasina, the country experienced months of turmoil and violence. In such a situation, the general public, and even many young voters, felt that only an experienced party like the BNP could restore stability and the rule of law.
Even though the NCP won only six seats, student leader and party spokesperson Asif Mahmud says they will not accept defeat. The party will now strengthen itself by sitting in the opposition and focus on next year's local body elections.
Overall, these election results demonstrate that bringing about a street revolution is one thing and translating it into electoral victory is quite another. Bangladesh's youth have initiated change, but the reins of power have been handed over to experienced hands for now.
