‘Very hopeful’: Cautious optimism among Gen Z Bangladeshis after key vote
Al Jazeera
February 15, 2026
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In a significant shift, Tarique Rahman’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secured a landslide victory in the country’s recent elections, which were heavily influenced by a youth-led uprising in 2024. The election, considered one of the most consequential in Bangladesh’s history, saw young voters play a pivotal role, yet their preferred party—the National Citizen Party (NCP)—failed to meet expectations. Despite securing only six out of 350 parliamentary seats, many Gen Z Bangladeshis expressed cautious optimism, hopeful that their voices would be heard under the new government led by Rahman.
The NCP, born from the 2024 uprising, struggled to build a strong support base ahead of the vote. Many young voters felt let down by the party’s alignment with Jamaat-e-Islami, viewing it as a betrayal of their aspirations for change
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Originally published on Al Jazeera on 2/15/2026