Bangladesh's Gen-Z battles to gain political ground after ousting Hasina

Polls show NCP at 6% in third place, far behind BNP’s 30% despite plans to contest all 300 seats

Thousands in Bangladesh flocked to hear the plans of the students who toppled long-time leader Sheikh Hasina when they launched a new political party this year, but now it finds itself struggling to translate street power into votes.

Fighting to deliver on its promise to free the nation from decades of nepotism and two-party dominance, the student-led National Citizen Party (NCP) faces entrenched rivals with deep networks and resources as polls approach in February.

"Our organisation is weak because we haven't had enough time to build it," said its chief Nahid Islam, prominent in last year's deadly anti-government protests who served briefly in the caretaker administration under Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.

"We are aware of this, but we are still taking on the challenge," added the 27-year-old, speaking from the party office in a high-rise in Dhaka, where one wall was covered in graffiti depicting crowds in revolt.

Polls show party pushed to third place

Opinion polls show the NCP, which aims to contest all 300 seats, in third place with support of just 6%, far behind the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, which leads with 30%.

Even the hardline Jamaat-e-Islami is expected to do better, coming in second with 26%, a December poll by U.S.-based non-profit International Republican Institute showed.

"When they first launched, I saw hope in them, like everyone," said Prapti Taposhi, 25, who helped lead the revolt. She said she became disappointed as the newcomers failed to break decades of dominance by the two major parties.

"They say they are centrist, but their actions don't match that," added Taposhi. "They hesitate to take positions on important issues, whether it's minority rights or women's rights, and when they do, it comes too late."

Another sign of disenchantment was the party’s failure to win a single seat in September's student body election at Dhaka University, the epicentre of the uprising that forced Hasina to flee to New Delhi.

Hasina's Awami League, barred from contesting the election, has warned of unrest if the ban is not lifted — a threat that could endanger Bangladesh's textile industry, the world’s second biggest garment exporter.

Read More: Bangladesh ex-PM Hasina ordered 2009 killings: commission

Talks for political alliance

Hampered by a skeletal structure, scarce funds, and a stance on key issues widely seen as unclear, the NCP is holding talks with other parties, including the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, leaders say.

"If we stand independently, there is a chance we may not win even one seat," a senior NCP leader told Reuters on condition of anonymity. Analysts warn that alliances could dilute the party’s “revolutionary” image.

"If they ally, the public will no longer see them as a distinct force outside the Awami League, BNP and Jamaat," said Dhaka-based writer and political analyst Altaf Parvez.

While the uprising briefly united students across party lines, most returned to their respective groups afterwards, leaving just a fraction to form the NCP. Analysts say the party now faces rivals with deep, long-established networks stretching into villages.

Fundraising is a hurdle

Money is another challenge, Islam said, with members relying on salaries from full-time jobs, small donations and crowdfunding to run campaigns.

Some, like 28-year-old Hasnat Abdullah, have tried to drum up support door-to-door in villages.

"In my constituency, I tell people I am penniless," he said. "A leader's job is not to give voters money, but to ensure government funds are properly allocated and used."

Graft accusations against some NCP leaders — which the party denies, saying it has a zero-tolerance stance — have further dented its image.

 ‘Offering something new’

Yet many young people still see potential in the party and hope it can reshape politics dominated by money, muscle and dynasties.

"They are young, they led the revolution, and I'm hopeful they can deliver change — as long as they don't turn authoritarian themselves," said university student Manzila Rahman.

The NCP launched an unusual candidate search in November, interviewing more than 1,000 ordinary citizens over two days. Among applicants were a rickshaw puller who took a day off work, and a 23-year-old student partially blinded by police pellets during protests.

"Some may think a rickshaw puller has nothing to offer in parliament," said Mohammad Sujan Khan, 32. "Give me a chance and see what I do to change the country."

The party has attracted supporters like Tasnim Jara, a doctor who left a successful career in Cambridge to help build it from scratch.

"We want to open up politics, not keep it confined to powerful families, and give power back to ordinary people," she said.

BNP and Jamaat leaders also see value in engaging with the youth.

"It's the young people who are going to dominate politics in the future, so it will be good if we can accommodate them in parliament," said BNP leader Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

NCP leaders say they are thinking beyond the upcoming vote, aiming for long-term institutional and structural reform.

"Win or lose, just by taking part in the election, we are offering something new," said NCP's Abdullah.