‘Old wine in a new Bottle’: Gen-Z voters question Bangladesh election promises

Bangladesh’s Gen-Z voters, many casting ballots for the first time, are approaching the upcoming national election with a mix of hope, scepticism, and hard questions for political parties.At Dhaka University and across the capital, young voters say they want more than slogans and promises. Student activist Hema Chakma describes the post-uprising political moment as “old wine in a new bottle,” arguing that power has shifted without real reform.Others, like first-time voter HM Amirul Karim, say the election is crucial to stabilise the country after months of unrest that ended nearly 16 years of iron-fisted rule. Jobs, law and order, and equal treatment under the law remain top priorities for young voters.