Gen Z toppled an autocrat – but old guard tipped to win Bangladesh vote

Rahat Hossain Almost Killed in Youth Uprising That Shook Bangladesh

Rahat Hossain was nearly killed while trying to save his friend during a youth uprising that became one of the bloodiest episodes in Bangladesh’s history. Footage capturing his efforts to pull Emam Hasan Taim Bhuiyan, who had been shot by police, to safety went viral during a revolution that toppled the country’s leader.

The Crackdown and the Turning Point

On 20 July 2024, during a crackdown on protests, Hossain, 24, and Bhuiyan, 19, took shelter at a Dhaka tea stall. Police dragged them out, beat them, and ordered them to run. Bhuiyan was shot, and as he lay sprawled on the ground, Hossain began dragging him away. Despite his efforts, police continued shooting, and Hossain felt a bullet strike his own leg.

“I had to leave him behind,” Hossain says.

Bhuiyan was later declared dead in hospital. The violence became a catalyst, transforming student-led demonstrations into a nationwide mass protest with Dhaka as its epicenter. Within a fortnight, the government was swept from power, and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country.

A New Era or a Fractured Hope?

Up to 1,400 people died during the protests, with the United Nations reporting that the majority were killed in the security crackdown ordered by Hasina. Her downfall seemed to signal a new era, as the uprising was hailed as the first and most successful of a series of Gen Z protests globally.

Some student leaders who had taken part in the demonstrations went on to hold key posts in an interim government, aiming to shape the country’s future. However, with general elections approaching, the students’ newly formed political party is now badly fractured, and women in the movement have been largely sidelined.

Shifting Allegiances and Political Realities

With the Awami League banned, other long-established parties are filling the political vacuum. Hossain, who joined the 2024 student-led demonstrations initially to protest new civil service job quotas, found himself drawn into a broader struggle against “autocratic rule.” Yet, he admits the interim government has failed to deliver the “beautiful Bangladesh based on peace, equality, justice, and fairness” he envisioned.

Instead, Hossain is now impressed by Jamaat-e-Islami, an Islamist party that has emerged as a major coalition partner. Established in 1941, Jamaat has long been associated with its role during Bangladesh’s 1971 war of independence from Pakistan. Though some of its politicians were accused of collaborating with West Pakistan, this history does not seem to bother Hossain, who believes the party has gained momentum ahead of the 12 February elections.