Bangladesh elections: Gen Z uprising fizzles, NCP wins only six seats

DHAKA: In an election shaped by a Gen Z–led uprising in Bangladesh, the youth-driven National Citizen Party (NCP) secured just six seats in the 300-member parliament, highlighting the challenge of translating street momentum into electoral success.

Despite widespread protests in 2024 that toppled former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, voters overwhelmingly chose the long-established Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which has previously ruled the country three times, most recently from 2001 to 2006.

The NCP, which emerged from the youth-led movement, struggled at the ballot box, contesting only 30 seats as part of a coalition with the Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami. Many young supporters felt betrayed by the alliance, saying it diluted the party’s original message for change.

“The NCP’s alignment with Jamaat felt like a betrayal, and many young voters like us chose not to support them,” said 23-year-old university student Sohanur Rahman.

Abdullah Al Amin, 32, lawyer and joint secretary of the NCP, was among the six winners. He acknowledged the party had hoped for more seats but said small margins accounted for some losses.

“We have just started our journey,” Al Amin said. “We want to ride a long journey to change Bangladesh, real change that we were aspiring for when we took to the streets in July 2024.”

Alliance and youth vote

Analysts say the decision to ally with Jamaat-e-Islami cost the NCP key support among young voters, who had hoped for a new political class after Hasina’s ouster.

“Many saw it as a retreat into old politics rather than a break from it,” said Shakil Ahmed, professor of government and politics at Jahangirnagar University. “This decision divided the youth vote and strengthened support for the BNP under Tarique Rahman, which appeared more organised and capable of governing.”

NCP spokesperson Asif Mahmud said the party would rebuild in opposition and focus on next year’s local elections. Party chief Nahid Islam noted in December that limited time, scarce funds, and an unclear stance on key issues like women’s and minority rights hampered the party’s growth.

Lessons for clean politics

Tasnim Jara, 31, a doctor and former NCP member who ran as an independent after leaving the party in protest over the alliance, received over 44,000 votes but lost to a BNP candidate by a wide margin.

“We have shown that it is possible to win people’s hearts through a clean and honest campaign,” Jara said. “But our limitations have also become clear. To protect a peaceful political model, we need a stronger organisation capable of withstanding any form of intimidation.”

She added that despite the setback, there was hope for the future.

“Our best days are still ahead,” she said.

The election underlines the gap between youthful activism and the realities of electoral politics, showing that momentum on the streets does not automatically translate into parliamentary power.