As Nepal prepares for its common election on March 5, former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is actively contesting the polls, looking for a political comeback months after resigning amid widespread youth-led protests. His return to the electoral area contrasts sharply with developments in neighboring Bangladesh, the place former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stays in exile following her authorities’s fall.
Each South Asian nations skilled main political upheavals triggered by youth unrest, resulting in interim administrations and contemporary elections. Nonetheless, the trajectories of their former leaders have diverged considerably.
Nepal: From protest to political
The unrest in Nepal started final yr after the federal government imposed a ban on 26 social media platforms, together with Fb, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, and Snapchat, citing their failure to register with authorities. The choice sparked outrage amongst college students and youth teams, who accused the federal government of making an attempt to curb dissent and silence criticism.
Protests that originally erupted in Kathmandu rapidly unfold nationwide. In line with experiences on the time, at the least 19 folks have been killed and greater than 300 injured in clashes between demonstrators and police.
Though the federal government finally lifted the ban, public anger continued. Political order and safety have been severely shaken, and amid escalating turmoil, Oli resigned on September 9.
Hypothesis circulated that he had left the nation through the peak of the September 2025 protests. It was later reported that Oli and a number of other colleagues had taken shelter at a military barracks in Shivapuri through the unrest.
Now 73, Oli, chief of the Communist Occasion of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist)—has re-emerged on the marketing campaign path. In line with experiences, he’s conducting in depth door-to-door outreach, listening to public grievances and interesting on to voters forward of the March 5 vote.
The upcoming election in Nepal is broadly considered as a take a look at of political accountability and an effort to revive a totally functioning legislature able to addressing calls for for reform. The youth motion has taken on a distinctly electoral character, bolstering new events and impartial candidates positioning themselves as options to established political elites.
Bangladesh: Election with out Hasina
In distinction, Bangladesh not too long ago held a parliamentary election within the aftermath of a 2024 student-led rebellion, however with out Sheikh Hasina on the poll. The 78-year-old chief’s get together, the Awami League, was banned from political actions.
Hasina, who left Bangladesh in August 2024 following intense avenue protests and a constitutional reform push, is at the moment residing in exile and going through a dying sentence.
The election held underneath heightened safety, amid polarised debates over legitimacy and in depth media scrutiny. Stories indicated widespread intimidation and assaults on political opponents within the run-up to the vote, notably concentrating on Awami League supporters. Members of minority communities have been additionally reported to be residing in worry following incidents of violence.
The interim authorities in Bangladesh framed the election not solely as a parliamentary contest but in addition as a de facto referendum on the July Nationwide Constitution, a sweeping package deal of constitutional reforms aimed, in line with its proponents, at restructuring institutional checks and balances.
The result is predicted to have vital implications for get together realignment, implementation of constitutional modifications, and Bangladesh’s diplomatic posture. Problems with home reconciliation and the authorized standing of exiled leaders are prone to stay central political flashpoints.
Diverging political paths
Whereas each Nepal and Bangladesh skilled youth-driven actions that led to governmental change, parliamentary dissolution, and reform agendas, the political stakes and outcomes have differed markedly.
In Nepal, the vote facilities on restoring democratic establishments and holding leaders accountable on the poll field—with Oli looking for a renewed mandate. The youth motion in Nepal was particularly electoral oriented, creating newer choices for the folks of Nepal.
In Bangladesh, the political panorama stays reshaped by the absence of a dominant former chief and the authorized and constitutional uncertainties that adopted her departure.
Each international locations are navigating post-protest transitions, their elections underscores the various path South Asian democracies taking within the wake of public unrest.