Gen Z's role in Bangladesh's election may shape the next government

Young voters who helped oust Sheikh Hasina make up a large share of new voters in Thursday's parliamentary election, which is contested mainly by the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami amid the Awami League's absence and a record deployment of security forces.

Bangladesh is holding a parliamentary election that many voters describe as historic after Gen Z-led protests toppled Sheikh Hasina 18 months ago. Young voters who joined those protests have registered in large numbers and say they hope this vote will be fair. The interim government led by Mohammad Yunus did not fully implement an ambitious reform agenda, and political competition has shifted after the Awami League was banned. The absence of the Awami League has left a space contested by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami. Key facts: - Student-led protests 18 months ago led to the departure of Sheikh Hasina; the United Nations reported up to 1,400 deaths during the crackdown. - Hasina fled to India and was later sentenced to death by a Bangladeshi war crimes tribunal; she denies wrongdoing. - The Awami League was banned by the caretaker government, and analysts say Jamaat-e-Islami has sought to capitalize on that vacancy. - The BNP is viewed as a front-runner after its leader, Tarique Rahman, returned from exile in December. - Political scientists say students and new voters account for a large share of the electorate, with more than 35 per cent described as new or young voters. - Authorities deployed about 108,000 members of the armed forces, the highest such deployment in Bangladesh's electoral history. Summary: The election will test whether momentum from the Gen Z uprising translates into durable political change and how quickly any incoming government can produce visible results. Observers note the race remains largely among familiar parties and that contested seats raise the potential for clashes at polling stations. The vote's outcome could also affect Bangladesh's relations with India and China, and experts say the winning party will face pressure to show tangible outputs within months. Undetermined at this time.