Washington, Feb 16 (NationPress) A recent report has spotlighted the outcome of the Bangladesh elections, revealing how the wave of protests led by Gen-Z across various regions has struggled to convert these demonstrations into political victories at the polls or in policy-making.

In an analysis for the American think tank Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), Joshua Kurlantzick, Senior Fellow for Southeast Asia and South Asia, pointed out that the protests in Bangladesh, which resulted in the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024, represented one of the initial major successes of Gen-Z protests in Asia. This movement also inspired similar demonstrations in Nepal (where a Prime Minister was overthrown), Indonesia (where protests were halted), and other regions.

Kurlantzick noted that the influence of these protests extended to places like Madagascar, parts of Africa, and the Caribbean, signaling a global pattern of Gen-Z political activism that underscores their potential impact on politics worldwide.

However, despite the proliferation of Gen-Z protests, Kurlantzick remarked that they have not managed to translate their demonstrations into tangible political success at the polls or in shaping policy. He pointed out that recently, the People's Party, the most favored party among Gen-Z in Thailand, faced a significant defeat in national elections. Likewise, in Japan, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), known as the establishment party, overcame challenges from various Gen-Z-oriented parties, securing a substantial victory.

In Bangladesh, while Sheikh Hasina has been ousted, the significant victor of the election was not the party initiated by the young leaders of the protests or any reform-oriented party, but rather the BNP, the other half of the longstanding ruling duo. The BNP achieved a landslide victory but has not garnered much trust from the populace.

The National Citizen Party (NCP), established by student leaders from the 2024 protests, managed to secure only six out of the thirty parliamentary seats it contested, which Kurlantzick described as a 'very weak showing.'

In his analysis for CFR, Kurlantzick elaborated that by reinstating the BNP to power, the citizens of Bangladesh have overwhelmingly supported significant constitutional reforms aimed at defending democracy, expanding economic and political opportunities, and combatting corruption.

The pressing question now is whether the BNP, poised to dominate the parliament, will implement these reforms.

The actions of the BNP will determine if the party has genuinely transformed, and if they falter, Kurlantzick warns that Bangladeshi politics may continue to grapple with the same issues as before.

“The Jamaat-e-Islami, an Islamist party that tried to rebrand for this election but has a history of being associated with political violence and holds misogynistic views, came in second. While this election was largely free and fair, it was preceded by a troubling series of politically motivated killings and other violence, a pattern all too familiar in Bangladesh,” he further observed.