Who is Nahid Islam? The 26-yr-old behind Bangladesh’s newest political party
On February 28, Nahid Islam and his followers launched Bangladesh’s newest political party, the Jatiya Nagorik Party (NCP)
Nahid Islam has emerged as one of the most influential young leaders in Bangladesh.
Guwahati, March 2: At just 26 years old, Nahid Islam has emerged as one of the most influential young leaders in Bangladesh, rising from a student activist to a key player in the country’s shifting political landscape.
From leading mass protests against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resigning from the interim government of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, Nahid's political journey has been nothing short of dramatic.
Now, as he launches the Jatiya Nagorik Party (NCP), positioning it as an alternative to mainstream politics, all eyes are on him and the future he envisions for Bangladesh.
From student activism to national politics
Born in 1998, Nahid Islam hails from Dhaka and is a student in the Sociology Department at Dhaka University. His activism began early—during his first week at university in 2017, he joined protests against a coal plant near the Sundarbans, a mangrove forest bordering India.
By 2019, he had entered campus politics, running for elections and later co-founding the Democratic Student Force, a student organisation advocating for democratic reforms.
Nahid rose to national prominence during the July-August 2024 protests, where students demanded the abolition of the quota system in government jobs. His leadership in these protests made him a target—on July 19, 2024, he was kidnapped and tortured by Bangladesh’s intelligence services.
Recounting the terrifying ordeal, Nahid said that around 30 plainclothes officers stormed a friend’s house where he was hiding. Despite this, he continued to lead protests, ultimately playing a role in the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government.
Joining and Leaving the Interim Government
After Hasina’s ouster, the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus appointed Nahid as Information and Broadcasting Adviser. However, his tenure was short-lived—on February 25, 2025, he resigned amid growing speculation about his political ambitions.
On February 28, Nahid Islam and his fellow activists transformed the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement (SAD) into a full-fledged political party—the Jatiya Nagorik Party (NCP).
“There will be no room for pro-Indian and pro-Pakistani politics in Bangladesh. We will build the state keeping Bangladesh’s interests first,” he declared at a rally in Dhaka on Friday.
With Akhtar Hossain as member secretary and a leadership team of 11 individuals, the party aims to challenge Bangladesh’s political status quo.
As a young leader who has already made waves in Bangladesh’s political landscape, Nahid’s future remains uncertain but full of potential. Whether he can mobilise national support and reshape the country’s politics remains to be seen, but one thing is clear—Nahid Islam is not stepping away from the spotlight anytime soon.