The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is currently the top choice among young voters ahead of the upcoming national election, according to a new survey released on Sunday.
The survey, titled “Youth in Transition”, was jointly conducted by the South Asian Network on Economic Modelling (SANEM) and ActionAid Bangladesh. It included interviews with 2,000 young people aged 15 to 35 from all eight divisions of the country, covering both rural and urban areas.
According to the findings, 38.76% of the youth surveyed said they would vote for the BNP. Jamaat-e-Islami came in second with 21.45%, while the newly formed National Citizen Party (NCP) secured third place with 15.84%.
The report comes amid growing political uncertainty, especially after the recent student-led July Uprising, which has led to increased calls for political reform.
Despite 76.78% of respondents saying they plan to vote in the next election, the survey also revealed a deep sense of political frustration. Over 82% of the youth said they are not interested in taking part in political activities due to fears of violence and a lack of trust in politicians’ honesty.
Young voters said they want to see change in key areas, including reducing corruption and nepotism, fixing the education system, and creating more job opportunities—issues they feel are being ignored by current leaders.
Selim Raihan, SANEM’s executive director, clarified that the survey only reflects the views of the specific group interviewed and should not be seen as representing all age groups or the entire population. He also cautioned against misinterpreting the results, especially on political matters.
