BYLC survey finds youth divided on politics but optimistic about future

The Bangladesh Youth Leadership Centre (BYLC) unveiled the results of its Youth Matters Survey 2025 at a press conference held on 12 November 2025 at the BYLC headquarters in Dhaka, shedding light on the political attitudes, aspirations, and concerns of young people across the country.

The findings indicate a notable political divide among youth, with 19.6% supporting the BNP, 16.9% favouring Jamaat-e-Islami, 9.5% backing the Awami League, and 3.6% aligning with the National Citizen Party (NCP). However, 30% remain undecided, while 17.7% preferred not to disclose their choice ahead of the 13th National Parliamentary Elections.

The survey, conducted between October 10 and 21, 2025, covered 27 districts across all eight divisions and engaged 2,545 respondents aged between 18 and 35 years.

According to the results, 89% of respondents are registered voters, and 97.2% intend to cast their ballots. About 49.8% expressed confidence in the transparency of the election process under the interim government, while 63.1% said they feel safer expressing opinions during this period.

Regarding education, 52.6% of respondents believe that student politics hampers academic activities, citing political influence (48%), violence (23.8%), and misuse of power (11.1%) as key reasons.

When asked about national priorities, 67.1% identified the eradication of corruption as Bangladesh's top challenge for the next five years. Meanwhile, 76% said women and girls do not feel safe, signalling persistent gender-based insecurity.

Regarding career aspirations, 39.1% of respondents expressed interest in entrepreneurship, and 18.3% wished to settle abroad—mainly due to job scarcity and socio-political hurdles. Despite these concerns, 61.7% of youth remain hopeful about the country's future.

Commenting on the findings, Fahim Mashroor, Co-coordinator of Voice for Reform, said, "Nearly 40% of young people now aspire to become entrepreneurs, driven by necessity and opportunity alike. However, most institutions are yet to provide adequate entrepreneurial training."

Media personality Dr Abdun Noor Tushar noted that while many youth are frustrated with education, employment, and politics, "their optimism—seen in over 61% of respondents—shows an enduring faith in Bangladesh's future."

Tahsinah Ahmed, Executive Director of BYLC, emphasised that "Bangladesh's youth are politically aware, socially conscious, and deeply reflective about national progress. Listening to their voices and involving them in policymaking is now more urgent than ever."

The Youth Matters Survey, conducted every five years before national elections, serves as a benchmark for understanding the perspectives and priorities of Bangladesh's young generation.