In a significant shift from activism to formal politics, leaders of last year's protests, which led to the ousting of Sheikh Hasina, have launched the National Citizens Party to champion student interests and democratic reforms.
Students Transition from Protest to Politics in Bangladesh
Students Transition from Protest to Politics in Bangladesh
Following last year's successful uprising, former student leaders in Bangladesh are embracing the political landscape by forming the National Citizens Party.
In Bangladesh, the landscape of politics is shifting as former student leaders, who played a pivotal role in last year’s uprising that resulted in the ousting of authoritarian leader Sheikh Hasina, have announced the formation of a new political party. At a rally in Dhaka, the students unveiled the National Citizens Party, which champions a centrist political ideology and aims to resonate with students who were actively engaged in the protests.
Nahid Islam, a key figure in the 2024 protests, will lead the initiative. The 27-year-old university graduate took a prominent stance in the call for Hasina’s resignation during her lengthy tenure marked by increasing corruption and manipulation of the electoral process. Following the revolution, he joined the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, which aims to facilitate free elections in the country, although a date has yet to be confirmed.
Recently, Islam stepped down from his role in the interim government, emphasizing the need to represent the students and build a solid political foundation. His efforts align with the goal of establishing a democratic dialogue in Bangladesh through formal political engagement. Meanwhile, the Students Against Discrimination, an umbrella organization that galvanized the protests, will remain nonpolitical but continue to advocate for student issues.
Criticism has emerged, particularly from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the new dominant political force following the decline of Hasina's Awami League. BNP leader Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir suggested that the National Citizens Party may hold an unfair advantage due to Islam's previous government role. Meanwhile, other student leaders involved with the interim government have chosen to maintain their positions rather than join this new political movement, citing their commitment to overseeing the democratic transition as their primary focus.
