What young people want a year on from July uprising

Young people in today’s Bangladesh are at a pivotal juncture. On the one hand, they are more educated, connected, and ambitious than any previous generation. On the other hand, they face a relatively tougher reality: shrinking economic opportunities, an outdated education system, and political structures that largely exclude them. Tensions over these challenges reached a boiling point during the 2024 July uprising, when young people took to the streets in a massive wave of protests and toppled the authoritarian regime of Awami League.

About a year after that upheaval, the South Asian Network on Economic Modelling (SANEM), in collaboration with ActionAid Bangladesh, launched the Youth Survey 2025. This nationally representative study, encompassing 2,000 young individuals aged 15 to 35 across all eight divisions, highlights the experiences and expectations of young people during this period of change. The results present a sobering yet hopeful picture: young people feel disillusioned, but they have not given up. They seek reform, not empty promises. Above all, they want to be heard.

Education-employment disconnect

The survey reveals a significant gap between education and employability. Only 14.5 percent of the survey respondents believe their education has adequately prepared them for the job market. A startling 30.8 percent said their education had little to no effect on their readiness for employment. This underscores a fundamental failure of the current education and training systems to adjust to the evolving needs of the economy. While nearly half of the surveyed are still in school, more than 37 percent have dropped out, citing early marriage, financial struggles, etc.

Among those employed, three-quarters work in the service sector. However, these jobs are insufficient: 13.7 percent are actively seeking work without success, and an alarming 39 percent are “disengaged” entirely, meaning they are neither studying nor working, nor even searching for employment. These discouraged youths form a ticking time bomb for both the economy and the social fabric.

A generation locked out

Why are so many young people unable to access opportunities? One word dominates their responses: nepotism. Over 54 percent of the youth cite nepotism as the primary barrier to employment, followed by inadequate formal education and a mismatch between academic content and labour market demands. For many, job applications lead nowhere: 45 percent reported that they had not received a single interview invitation in the past year.

The gig economy offers some hope but also exposes gaps in awareness and access. While 70.8 percent of respondents see freelancing as appealing due to its flexibility and earning potential, only 10 percent are very familiar with it. Nearly half have no knowledge of the concept at all.

Meanwhile, migration remains a compelling option. Among the youth who have never worked abroad, nearly 40 percent say they are contemplating it. The reasons are clear: better pay, improved working conditions, and a more dignified life.

Political vacuum

Despite their central role in the July movement, most young people remain politically disengaged. Only 23 percent follow national politics closely. A staggering 83 percent have no interest in pursuing a career in politics in the future. The gap between political parties and youth sentiment is stark: only 11.8 percent believe that current party agendas reflect the country’s real issues.

This alienation has significant implications for Bangladesh’s democratic future. While nearly 94 percent of the youth say they are hopeful the next election will be free and fair, their trust in political institutions remains fragile. Half believe that political parties have failed to connect with them. The message is clear: symbolic inclusion is no longer enough. Young people demand real representation and accountability.

Youth demands: From protest to policy

To respond effectively to this generational discontent, policymakers must listen. The survey shows that the youth overwhelmingly identify education reform (94 percent) as the top national priority, followed by health (92 percent), labour market reform (90 percent), and human rights (89 percent). Gender equality, institutional governance, and minority rights are also highly ranked.

However, awareness of the actual reforms following the July uprising remains low. Nearly half of the respondents did not even hear of the proposed reform packages, and only 2.3 percent felt fully informed. There is a rising fear among 13.5 percent that reforms will never come to fruition. This cynicism is both dangerous and preventable.

To close the gap between rhetoric and reality, future reforms must be visible, inclusive, and results-oriented. This calls for transparency in implementation, participatory planning, and targeted outreach to marginalised groups. It also requires addressing the growing concern about religion-based politics, which nearly half of the youth consider unsuitable for Bangladesh’s future—especially among non-Muslim respondents, who predominantly report feeling insecure.

A hopeful yet fragile future

Despite the bleakness of many indicators, Bangladesh’s youth have not lost hope. Most still intend to vote in the upcoming election. Many believe that meaningful reforms can improve the political and economic situation. And importantly, they remain willing to engage if given a reason to believe that their engagement will make a difference.

The July uprising must continue to serve as a wake-up call—not fade into a missed opportunity. Nearly a year on from that historic moment, we stand at a crossroads: if the voices of the youth remain ignored, their frustration may harden into fatalism; but if they are heard, valued, and acted upon, they could become the driving force behind a fairer, more prosperous, and inclusive future.

Dr Selim Raihan is professor in the Department of Economics at the Dhaka University, and executive director at the South Asian Network on Economic Modeling (SANEM). Email: selim.raihan@gmail.com

Views expressed in this article are the author’s own.