Bangladesh votes in world's first Gen Z-inspired election

For years under former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh's opposition had little presence on the streets during elections, either boycotting polls or being sidelined by mass arrests of senior leaders. Now, ahead of Thursday's (12 February) vote, the roles have reversed.

Hasina's Awami League is banned, but many young people who helped oust her government in a 2024 uprising say the upcoming vote will be the Muslim-majority nation's first competitive election since 2009, when she began a 15-year-rule.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is widely expected to win, although a coalition led by the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami is putting up a strong challenge. A new party driven by Gen-Z activists under the age of 30 has aligned with Jamaat after failing to translate its anti-Hasina street mobilisation into an electoral base.

BNP chief Tarique Rahman told Reuters his party, which is contesting 292 of the 300 parliamentary seats at stake, is confident of winning "enough to form a government".

Analysts say a decisive result in the 12 February vote, instead of a fractured outcome, is vital for restoring stability in the nation of 175 million after Hasina's ouster triggered months of unrest and disrupted major industries, including the garments sector in the world's second‑largest exporter.

The verdict will also affect the roles of rival regional heavyweights China and India in the South Asian nation.

"Opinion polls suggest the BNP has an edge, but we must remember that a significant portion of voters are still undecided," said Parvez Karim Abbasi, executive director at Dhaka's Centre for Governance Studies.

"Several factors will shape the outcome, including how Generation Z - which makes up about a quarter of the electorate - votes, as their choices will carry considerable weight."

Across Bangladesh, black‑and‑white posters and banners bearing the BNP's "sheaf of paddy" symbol and Jamaat's "scales" hang from poles and trees and are pasted on roadside walls, alongside those of several independent candidates. Party shacks on street corners, draped in their emblems, blare campaign songs.

It marks a sharp contrast with past elections, when the Awami League's "boat" symbol dominated the landscape.

Opinion polls expect the once-banned Jamaat, which had opposed Bangladesh's India-backed 1971 independence from Pakistan, to have its best electoral performance even if it does not win.

China's influence increases as India's wanes

The election verdict will also influence the roles of China and India in Bangladesh in coming years, analysts have said. Beijing has increased its standing in Bangladesh since Hasina was seen as pro-India and fled to New Delhi after her ouster, where she remains.

While New Delhi's influence is on the wane, the BNP is seen by some analysts as being relatively more in tune with India than the Jamaat.

A Jamaat-led government might tilt closer to Pakistan, a fellow Muslim‑majority nation and a long‑standing rival of Hindu‑majority India, analysts say.

Also, Jamaat's Gen-Z ally has said "New Delhi's hegemony" in Bangladesh is one of its main concerns and its leaders met Chinese diplomats recently.

Jamaat, which calls for a society governed by Islamic principles, has said the party is not inclined towards any country.

Tarique has said if his party forms the government it would have friendly relations with any nation that "offers what is suitable for my people and my country".

Bangladesh, one of the world's most densely populated countries with high rates of extreme poverty, has been hit by high inflation, weakening reserves and slowing investment, which has pushed it to seek large-scale external financing since 2022, including billions of dollars from the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

Corruption is the biggest concern among the 128 million voters, followed by inflation, according to a survey by Dhaka-based think tanks Communication & Research Foundation and Bangladesh Election and Public Opinion Studies.

Analysts say Jamaat's clean image is a factor in its favour, much more than its Islamic leanings.

"Voters report high intention to participate, prioritise corruption and economic concerns over religious or symbolic issues, and express clear expectations for leaders who demonstrate care, competence and accountability," said the survey.

Nevertheless, BNP Chairman Tarique, son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia, is seen as the frontrunner to lead the next government. But if the Jamaat-led coalition emerges ahead, its chair, Shafiqur Rahman, could be in line for the top job.

Mohammad Rakib, 21, who is set to vote for the first time, said he hopes the next government will allow people to express their views and exercise their franchise freely.

"Everyone was tired of [Hasina's] Awami League. People could not even vote during national elections. People had no voice," he said. "I hope the next government, whoever comes into power, will ensure this freedom of expression."