From Revolution to Reality: Bangladesh’s Gen-Z Party Struggles Ahead of February Polls

The National Citizen Party (NCP), launched by the student leaders who forced Sheikh Hasina’s ouster in 2024, is struggling to convert street power into electoral strength ahead of February’s national polls. Despite drawing thousands to its inaugural rallies, recent surveys place the NCP a distant third with only 6 percent support, trailing the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (30 percent) and even the hardline Jamaat-e-Islami (26 percent).

Party chief Nahid Islam, 27, openly acknowledges organisational weakness, admitting the movement has had insufficient time to build grassroots networks against rivals with decades of village-level machinery and funding. “We know we are weak, but we are still taking on the challenge,” he stated from the NCP’s Dhaka headquarters, where walls remain covered with protest graffiti.

Disillusionment is growing even among former allies. Feminist activist Prapti Taposhi, who coordinated the 2024 uprising, accused the NCP of hesitating on minority and women’s rights and failing to present a clear centrist vision. The party’s wipeout in September’s Dhaka University student elections — the very cradle of the revolution — delivered another stark warning of eroding campus support.

Also Read: Sheikh Hasina and Family Sentenced Again in High-Profile Corruption Case Amid Intense Political Backlash

Financial constraints compound the crisis. Leaders rely on personal salaries, small donations, and crowdfunding, while candidates like Hasnat Abdullah campaign door-to-door emphasising integrity over cash handouts. Graft allegations against some members, firmly denied by the party, have further damaged credibility despite its proclaimed zero-tolerance policy.

With independent victory appearing improbable, the NCP is quietly negotiating potential alliances with both BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami — moves analysts warn could dilute its revolutionary identity entirely. Yet some leaders insist participation alone justifies the effort, aiming for long-term structural reform regardless of February’s outcome, even as Bangladesh’s Gen-Z revolutionaries confront the harsh realities of entrenched political power.

Also Read: Hasina Ordered ‘Shoot on Sight’: Bangladesh Probe Links Ex-PM to 2009 BDR Killings