Bangladesh’s Gen-Z activists, who helped topple long-time leader Sheikh Hasina, are now struggling to turn their street momentum into electoral gains as their new political platform, the National Citizen Party (NCP), fights for relevance ahead of February’s polls.
The student-driven party promised to break decades of nepotism and two-party dominance, but it faces entrenched opponents with extensive networks and financial strength. NCP chief Nahid Islam, a prominent figure in last year’s deadly protests and briefly part of a caretaker administration under Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, admits the organisation remains weak and underdeveloped.
Opinion surveys place the NCP in a distant third with only 6% support, far behind the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) at 30% and Jamaat-e-Islami at 26%, according to a December poll by the International Republican Institute. Many early supporters say the party has failed to take clear positions on key issues, including women’s and minority rights.
Its inability to win any seats in September’s Dhaka University student elections the heart of the uprising has deepened doubts. Meanwhile, Hasina’s Awami League, currently barred from contesting the national vote, warns of unrest if the ban remains.
With limited funds, a thin organisational structure and an unclear rights agenda, the NCP is in talks with the BNP and Jamaat over a potential alliance. Internal leaders fear they may not secure a single seat alone, while analysts warn that such a coalition could weaken the party’s revolutionary identity.
Most students who united to oust Hasina have since returned to traditional political groups, leaving only a small core to build the NCP. Fundraising remains difficult, and candidates rely on salaries, small donations and crowdfunding. Some leaders, such as Hasnat Abdullah, campaign door-to-door, urging voters to prioritise accountability over patronage.
Graft allegations against some NCP figures denied by the party have further clouded its image. Still, many young Bangladeshis view it as a rare attempt to reshape a political sphere dominated by money, muscle and dynasties.
In November, the NCP launched an unusual nationwide search for parliamentary candidates, interviewing more than 1,000 ordinary citizens, including a rickshaw puller and a partially blind student activist. Supporters like doctor Tasnim Jara, who left a career in Cambridge to join the party, hope to build a more inclusive movement.
BNP leaders say they are open to working with the Gen-Z bloc, noting the youth’s growing political influence. For the NCP, the upcoming election is just the beginning, with ambitions for long-term institutional reform.
“Win or lose, taking part itself is offering something new,” said NCP leader Abdullah.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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