The National Citizens Party (NCP), formed after Bangladesh’s 2024 student-led uprising, is projected to win only six seats in the ongoing parliamentary election, according to Bangladeshi media reports.
Online newspaper The Daily Star reported that the NCP is certain to secure victory in six constituencies where vote counting is underway. The projection marks a significant setback for the student-founded party.
NCP leader Nahid Islam is leading in the Dhaka-11 constituency, while only a few other party candidates are reported to have confirmed victories elsewhere.
Before voting began, Nahid Islam had claimed that an alliance including the NCP would form the next government. However, preliminary results indicate that the party will remain far from forming a government.
Student Uprising and Political Transition
The National Citizens Party emerged following the July 2024 student movement that forced then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to leave the country. During the protests, security forces carried out a crackdown in which approximately 1,400 demonstrators were killed, according to reports at the time.
After Sheikh Hasina left Bangladesh, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus was brought from the United Kingdom to lead an interim government. Several leaders associated with the protest movement joined the transitional administration.
Later, Nahid Islam and other protest leaders formally launched the National Citizens Party and entered the parliamentary race. Despite its origins in a mass movement, the party’s electoral performance has been limited.
BNP-Led Alliance Moves Toward Government Formation
In contrast, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led alliance is set to form the next government. Bangladeshi media report that the BNP alliance has secured a parliamentary majority and is advancing toward a two-thirds majority as counting continues.
If current trends continue, Tarique Rahman is expected to become prime minister. Rahman is the eldest son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. He has been living in the United Kingdom since 2008 after traveling there for medical treatment following his arrest in 2007. He returned to Bangladesh recently.
Jamaat-e-Islami is also expected to sit in opposition alongside the NCP. According to the Dhaka Tribune, the party could win up to 60 seats. Bangladesh’s 300-member parliament requires 151 seats to form a majority government.
