A striking 82.7 percent of young people in Bangladesh, particularly first-time voters, have expressed disinterest in engaging with politics or participating in political activities, according to a new nationwide survey conducted by the South Asian Network on Economic Modelling (SANEM) in collaboration with ActionAid Bangladesh.
The survey, released at an event at the BRAC Centre Inn yesterday, found that fear of political violence or backlash was the primary reason behind this disengagement, cited by 58.7 percent of respondents. This was closely followed by concerns over corruption and the lack of ethics in politics, mentioned by 56.4 percent.
Only 1.6 percent of the youth reported being actively involved in political activities.
The survey covered 2,000 respondents aged between 15 and 35—representing a significant segment of first-time voters—and comes just a year after a youth-led movement contributed to the fall of an authoritarian regime.
Despite their disillusionment with political engagement, a notable 76.78 percent of respondents expressed a willingness to vote in the upcoming general election. Additionally, 80.73 percent said they were hopeful that the next election would be free and fair—despite controversies surrounding the 2014, 2018, and 2024 national elections, which were marked by boycotts, allegations of rigging, and low voter turnout.
When asked about likely voting outcomes, 38.76 percent believed the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) would receive the highest number of votes, followed by Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh (21.45 percent), the National Citizen Party (NCP) (15.84 percent), and the Awami League (15.02 percent), if it is allowed to contest.
Women were more likely to believe the NCP (17.47 percent) and the Awami League (15.61 percent) would perform strongly. Regionally, support for the Awami League was more prominent in rural areas such as Mymensingh, whereas urban areas—including Dhaka and Chattogram—favoured the BNP and NCP. Opinions on Jamaat were evenly split, though the party showed the weakest support in Dhaka.
The survey also explored views on religion-based politics. Responses were nearly divided, with 51.77 percent stating that religion-based politics is beneficial for Bangladesh’s development, while 48.23 percent disagreed.
Among Muslim respondents, 58.14 percent supported religion-based politics. In contrast, a substantial 87.77 percent of non-Muslim respondents were opposed. Men were more likely than women to support religion-based political agendas.
Of those opposed to religion-based politics, 77.2 percent expressed varying degrees of concern about the growing influence of religious parties.
When asked whether religious minority groups are currently safe, 78.83 percent of all respondents replied in the affirmative. However, a deeper look revealed a stark divide: while 84 percent of Muslim respondents believed minorities were safe, only 46.76 percent of non-Muslims agreed. Nearly half of non-Muslim respondents reported that people are not free or safe to practise their religion without fear.
The survey was conducted across all eight divisions of Bangladesh, covering two districts per division to ensure broad geographic and demographic representation. The districts surveyed included Rangpur, Lalmonirhat, Netrokona, Mymensingh, Sylhet, Sunamganj, Chattogram, Cumilla, Barishal, Jhalakathi, Khulna, Satkhira, Dhaka, and Munshiganj. Equal representation across rural and urban areas, and between male and female respondents, was maintained.
Respondents identified rising insecurity and disruption of daily life as key concerns. The most pressing issues cited were increasing incidents of arson, robbery, and theft (80.2 percent), followed by mob violence (71.5 percent) and politically motivated arrests or biased legal action (56.2 percent).
Gender-based violence was highlighted by more than half of the respondents, while 44.2 percent voiced concern over backlash against feminist or liberal opinions. A further 61.2 percent raised alarm over the lack of safety in public spaces, particularly for women.
The survey also revealed widespread disengagement from the reform process. Some 43.5 percent of respondents were unaware of any ongoing reform initiatives.
When asked to prioritise areas for urgent reform, an overwhelming 94 percent called for major changes in the education system, followed by healthcare (92 percent) and the labour market (90 percent).
Respondents also expressed a strong desire for political reform. Sixty percent called for an end to patronage, nepotism, and political violence. Additionally, 52.7 percent urged a shift from personality-driven politics towards issue- and policy-based leadership. Another 47.5 percent stressed the need for transparency in party funding and internal democracy, while 43.6 percent advocated for greater inclusion of youth and women in political leadership.
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A striking 82.7 percent of young people in Bangladesh, particularly first-time voters, have expressed disinterest in engaging with politics or participating in political activities, according to a new nationwide survey conducted by the South Asian Network on Economic Modelling (SANEM) in collaboration with ActionAid Bangladesh.
The survey, released at an event at the BRAC Centre Inn yesterday, found that fear of political violence or backlash was the primary reason behind this disengagement, cited by 58.7 percent of respondents. This was closely followed by concerns over corruption and the lack of ethics in politics, mentioned by 56.4 percent.
Only 1.6 percent of the youth reported being actively involved in political activities.
The survey covered 2,000 respondents aged between 15 and 35—representing a significant segment of first-time voters—and comes just a year after a youth-led movement contributed to the fall of an authoritarian regime.
Despite their disillusionment with political engagement, a notable 76.78 percent of respondents expressed a willingness to vote in the upcoming general election. Additionally, 80.73 percent said they were hopeful that the next election would be free and fair—despite controversies surrounding the 2014, 2018, and 2024 national elections, which were marked by boycotts, allegations of rigging, and low voter turnout.
When asked about likely voting outcomes, 38.76 percent believed the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) would receive the highest number of votes, followed by Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh (21.45 percent), the National Citizen Party (NCP) (15.84 percent), and the Awami League (15.02 percent), if it is allowed to contest.
Women were more likely to believe the NCP (17.47 percent) and the Awami League (15.61 percent) would perform strongly. Regionally, support for the Awami League was more prominent in rural areas such as Mymensingh, whereas urban areas—including Dhaka and Chattogram—favoured the BNP and NCP. Opinions on Jamaat were evenly split, though the party showed the weakest support in Dhaka.
The survey also explored views on religion-based politics. Responses were nearly divided, with 51.77 percent stating that religion-based politics is beneficial for Bangladesh’s development, while 48.23 percent disagreed.
Among Muslim respondents, 58.14 percent supported religion-based politics. In contrast, a substantial 87.77 percent of non-Muslim respondents were opposed. Men were more likely than women to support religion-based political agendas.
Of those opposed to religion-based politics, 77.2 percent expressed varying degrees of concern about the growing influence of religious parties.
When asked whether religious minority groups are currently safe, 78.83 percent of all respondents replied in the affirmative. However, a deeper look revealed a stark divide: while 84 percent of Muslim respondents believed minorities were safe, only 46.76 percent of non-Muslims agreed. Nearly half of non-Muslim respondents reported that people are not free or safe to practise their religion without fear.
The survey was conducted across all eight divisions of Bangladesh, covering two districts per division to ensure broad geographic and demographic representation. The districts surveyed included Rangpur, Lalmonirhat, Netrokona, Mymensingh, Sylhet, Sunamganj, Chattogram, Cumilla, Barishal, Jhalakathi, Khulna, Satkhira, Dhaka, and Munshiganj. Equal representation across rural and urban areas, and between male and female respondents, was maintained.
Respondents identified rising insecurity and disruption of daily life as key concerns. The most pressing issues cited were increasing incidents of arson, robbery, and theft (80.2 percent), followed by mob violence (71.5 percent) and politically motivated arrests or biased legal action (56.2 percent).
Gender-based violence was highlighted by more than half of the respondents, while 44.2 percent voiced concern over backlash against feminist or liberal opinions. A further 61.2 percent raised alarm over the lack of safety in public spaces, particularly for women.
The survey also revealed widespread disengagement from the reform process. Some 43.5 percent of respondents were unaware of any ongoing reform initiatives.
When asked to prioritise areas for urgent reform, an overwhelming 94 percent called for major changes in the education system, followed by healthcare (92 percent) and the labour market (90 percent).
Respondents also expressed a strong desire for political reform. Sixty percent called for an end to patronage, nepotism, and political violence. Additionally, 52.7 percent urged a shift from personality-driven politics towards issue- and policy-based leadership. Another 47.5 percent stressed the need for transparency in party funding and internal democracy, while 43.6 percent advocated for greater inclusion of youth and women in political leadership.
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