Thousands in Bangladesh flocked to hear the plans of the students who toppled long-time leader Sheikh Hasina when they launched a new political party this year, but now it finds itself struggling to translate the street power into votes.
Fighting to deliver on its promise to free the nation from decades of nepotism and two-party dominance, the student-led National Citizen Party (NCP) faces entrenched rivals with deep networks and resources as polls approach in February.
"Our organisation is weak because we haven’t had enough time to build it," said its chief Nahid Islam, prominent in last year’s deadly anti-government protests.
Opinion polls show the NCP, which aims to contest all 300 seats, in third place, with support of just 6%, far behind the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, which leads with 30%.
Even the hardline Jamaat-e-Islami will do better than the NCP, coming in second with 26%, a December poll by a U.S.-based non-profit, the International Republican Institute, showed.
Another sign of growing disenchantment was the party's failure to win a single seat in September's student body election at Dhaka University, the epicentre of the uprising that forced Hasina to flee to New Delhi.
Hampered by a skeletal structure, scarce funds, and a stance on key issues such as rights for women and minorities widely seen as unclear, the NCP is holding talks with other parties, including the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, leaders say.
"If we stand independently, there is a chance we may not win even one seat," a senior NCP leader told Reuters on condition of anonymity, acknowledging the risks.
On the other hand, say analysts, an alliance risks diluting the party’s "revolutionary" image.
The anti-corruption credentials of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim faced a significant test on Thursday as prosecutors brought formal graft charges again...
In a small town on the outskirts of Warsaw, lumps of glass are transformed into dazzling holiday decorations, as Silverado, a family-owned factory in ...
Thousands in Bangladesh flocked to hear the plans of the students who toppled long-time leader Sheikh Hasina when they launched a new political party ...
Israel’s participation in next year’s Eurovision Song Contest will be discussed on Thursday, as the organising body considers whether the country ...
Faced with mounting public outrage following one of the deadliest environmental disasters in the nation’s recent history, the Indonesian government ...
A Bangladesh court sentenced British parliamentarian and former minister Tulip Siddiq to two years in jail in a corruption case involving the alleged illegal allocation of a plot of land, local media reported.
A massive fire tore through one of Dhaka’s largest slums on Tuesday evening, leaving thousands of people homeless and turning rows of tin-roofed shanties into charred rubble, officials said.
At least three people have been killed and several injured after a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck Bangladesh on Friday, police said.
A Bangladesh court sentenced ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death on Monday, concluding a months-long trial that found her guilty of ordering a deadly crackdown on a student-led uprising last year.
A four-part docuseries executive produced by Curtis '50 cent' Jackson and directed by Alexandria Stapleton on Netflix is at the centre of controversy online.
Chinese scientists have unveiled a new gene-editing therapy that they say could lead to a functional cure for HIV, making it one of the most promising developments in decades of global research.
As the year comes to an end, a new initiative bringing civil society actors and regional analysts from Armenia and Azerbaijan together is steadily gaining ground.
Uzbekistan has reopened its border with Afghanistan for the first time since 2021, the country’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry announced on Tuesday.
Belgian police have raided the EU’s diplomatic service and the College of Europe as part of a corruption probe into an EU-funded training academy for diplomats, detaining three suspects and searching multiple premises, according to Politico.
The anti-corruption credentials of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim faced a significant test on Thursday as prosecutors brought formal graft charges against a recently resigned senior member of his inner circle, marking a turbulent moment for an administration elected on a promise of clean governance.
Faced with mounting public outrage following one of the deadliest environmental disasters in the nation’s recent history, the Indonesian government has pledged to investigate and potentially shut down mining operations found to have contributed to the catastrophic flooding on Sumatra.
Australia confirms United States is “completely supportive of AUKUS” nuclear submarine partnership, Defence Minister Richard Marles announced on Thursday (4 December). This development, reportedly, eased concerns raised when the U.S. administration launched the review in June.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 4th of December, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Russia is aiming to boost oil, missile systems, and fighter jets, hoping to restore and strengthen energy and defence ties with India, which were affected by U.S. pressure.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment