Bangladesh: Can a student-led party become a force for change?

The political landscape of Bangladesh has long been shaped by dynastic legacies and the gravitational pull of charismatic leaders. The recent emergence of the National Citizens Party, a student-led political formation, raises a compelling question: Can a party born out of a student movement, lacking an established political pedigree, truly become a dominant force in the country’s politics?

To answer this, we must examine the critical elements that drive political success in Bangladesh. The factors pose significant challenges to the National Citizens Party’s ambitions, making its rise to power an uphill battle. However, the political environment is also ripe for transformation, given the disenchantment with traditional parties and a growing appetite for reform among the younger generation.

A wasted momentum?

The National Citizens Party emerged from the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and the National Citizens Committee, both of which played crucial roles in last year’s protests that led to the overthrow of Sheikh Hasina's government. Yet, the party’s formal launch came months after the height of the movement, raising concerns that it squandered its political momentum.

Revolutions are driven by emotion, and as famed political scientist Samuel P Huntington noted in Political Order in Changing Societies, "Revolutionary movements are most successful when they consolidate power before the fervor of the masses...

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