January 29, 2026, Dhaka :Bangladesh’s first parliamentary election since the dramatic ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is unfolding amid a growing sense of disillusionment among the young people who once stood at the heart of the 2024 uprising. Many who flooded the streets demanding democracy and an end to dynastic politics now fear the country is sliding back toward the same entrenched political forces they had hoped to leave behind.
Sadman Mujtaba Rafid, a Dhaka University student, was among those who defied family warnings and police pressure to join the protests that eventually forced Hasina from power. At the time, he believed the movement would usher in a more inclusive political order. As the February 12 election approaches, that optimism has faded. Rafid says the vision of equal opportunity regardless of gender, religion or background now feels distant, with promised reforms failing to materialise.
The election will produce Bangladesh’s first government without Hasina since 2008, yet many analysts and voters argue that little has fundamentally changed. No major institutional reforms have taken root, and no strong new political alternative has managed to establish itself. As a result, the contest for power is largely seen as a battle between the established Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami, both long-standing and controversial players in the country’s politics.
Surveys and interviews with students in Dhaka suggest widespread enthusiasm for voting in a freer electoral environment, but also deep frustration over the limited choices available. Political analyst Asif Shahan of Dhaka University notes that voters under 30, who make up more than a quarter of Bangladesh’s electorate, are highly engaged and likely to influence the outcome, even as many feel trapped between competing versions of the old order.
Much of the youth vote was initially expected to rally behind the newly formed National Citizens Party, led by figures associated with the 2024 uprising. However, the party has struggled to build nationwide support. Critics argue that its tactical alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami has damaged its credibility among voters who wanted a clean break from both authoritarianism and religious politics.
Shudrul Amin, a student from Jahangirnagar University, says the moral authority of the protest movement has eroded. He believes voters seeking a “New Bangladesh” now feel cornered into choosing between familiar elites and an uneasy student–Islamist alignment. Similar concerns are echoed by Shama Debnath, a young Hindu voter, who describes the current political landscape as stuck in a rigid “either-or” framework offering no fresh vision.
Disappointment has also been directed at the interim administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus. Several young voters accuse the caretaker government of failing to curb mob violence and protect journalists and minorities. Hema Chakma, a Buddhist student, says the spirit of the July uprising has been lost, with insecurity and unrest worsening rather than improving over the past year.
Despite these frustrations, willingness to vote remains strikingly high. Polling among voters aged 18 to 35 shows turnout intent nearing universal levels, with support split almost evenly between the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami. Many see participation itself as a democratic necessity, even if enthusiasm for specific parties is limited.
Some former protest leaders insist alliances with Islamist groups are strategic rather than ideological, denying any intention to move the country toward religious law. Others argue that governing effectively requires experience, organisation and resources that newer parties simply lack.
For many young Bangladeshis, the decision now comes down to pragmatism. Some say they will back the BNP as the only force capable of delivering stability, while others believe the Islamists deserve a chance after years of political exclusion. Still, a smaller but determined group continues to work outside party structures, hoping to nurture an alternative political culture over time.
Independent candidate Tasnim Jara, who left the National Citizens Party over its Islamist ties, is among those refusing to abandon that hope. After returning from Britain to enter politics, she spent days gathering signatures to validate her candidacy, convinced that meaningful change will take patience and persistence. While she acknowledges that a genuine alternative will not emerge overnight, she insists the desire for a new political future in Bangladesh has not disappeared.
For a generation that once believed it was reshaping the nation’s destiny, the coming election is less about triumph than endurance. Many may feel let down, but most are not ready to give up on the idea that their revolution, though bruised, can still evolve into lasting change.
