BNP’S Fear of Depoliticisation: Legitimate Concern or Misplaced Anxiety?

As Bangladesh faces political transformation, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) grapples with existential threats amid rising grassroots movements. The emergence of a new political force from the 2024 student-public uprising poses a dual challenge for the BNP: it risks losing its voter base to this group, which effectively channels public frustrations, and it struggles against the perception of being part of a dysfunctional political system. This moment calls for the BNP to reinvent itself by bridging leadership gaps and connecting more effectively with voters, while the student leaders must consider the value of institutionalizing their movement to ensure lasting political transformation.