Millions of youths in Bangladesh enthusiastic about voting

In Bangladesh, millions of young Bangladeshis are enthusiastic about casting their votes in the historic elections on Thursday, following the end of Sheikh Hasina's authoritarian rule with a student uprising in 2024.
18- to 27-year-olds make up 44% of the country's 129 million voters. Many of them say they never voted during Hasina's 15-year iron-fisted rule.
Elections during the tenure of the ousted prime minister were marred by large-scale rigging and opposition parties were banned.
Faizullah Wasif, 33, a professor voting for the first time, said he never cast a ballot during Hasina's rule because he felt it wouldn't make a difference.
He said, "Another reason for not voting was fear and apathy, and I didn't have any interest in elections."
The demographic dominance of young voters in Bangladesh has forced political parties to revamp their election campaigns and manifestos.
The digital arena has become the hub of election campaigns, and political parties have invested heavily in online outreach, from Facebook videos to TikTok.
The former ruling party, the Awami League, has been banned from the elections; however, parties suppressed during Hasina's rule, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the country's largest Islamist party, Jamaat-e-Islami, are participating in the election as part of an alliance.
Ashfa Binte Latif, a 21-year-old university student, said her parents told her stories about past elections when polling day was celebrated like a festival before Hasina's rule.
Ashfa said, "Now that we have managed to change the system, I am very enthusiastic."
The National Citizen Party (NCP), founded by student leaders who led the uprising, has allied with Jamaat-e-Islami.
Ashfa said she expected more from the young student leaders but remains committed to change.
She said, "We expected the young people to lead us, and in many ways, they have. If the party leaders fail, it will be the failure of all the young people."
The 2024 uprising began in universities, with students protesting against the quota system in civil service and claims it deprived them of jobs.
It has been a year and a half since then. Bangladesh's economy is still fragile, and young graduates are struggling to find their first jobs.
Mohammad Abdul Aleem, a former member of Bangladesh's Election Commission and an election expert, expects a high turnout of young voters. These young voters will go to the polling stations with a sense of deprivation in getting jobs and cast their votes.
Some 2,000 candidates are vying for 350 seats in the elections, with about 1,400 of them first-time contestants. According to the Election Commission, more than 600 candidates are 44 or younger.
University Professor Wasif hopes the new faces will be beneficial for Bangladesh and said, "We have a lot of faith in our young people, and our hopes are high. Because these young people have brought about change, and I am sure they will bring about a fundamental change in Bangladesh's political culture as well."