Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka: Is South Asia fertile for Gen Z revolutions?

Storming the Gates: Nepal’s Youth Take Action

New Delhi, India The rattle of iron gates sounded like drumbeats as a wave of young protesters surged forward Barricades that had stood as symbols of state authority crumbled under the force of the crowd Muddy footsteps echoed through the marble corridors of the leader’s residence Some smashed glass and artefacts while others grabbed bedsheets shoes or other signs of luxury For a fleeting moment the palace that symbolized centuries of concentrated power belonged to the people

This was Nepal last week It was also Sri Lanka in 2022 and Bangladesh in 2024 Each uprising was born of unique local conditions yet shared a generational signature A youth cohort unwilling to accept a political system that they perceive as broken corrupt and unresponsive

Nepal a country of 30 million people sandwiched between India and China has become a striking example of how South Asia’s youngest generation is redefining political power In Nepal three days of protests over corruption and nepotism turned deadly as security forces cracked down resulting in the deaths of more than 70 people Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli mocked the youth origins of the demonstrations days before resigning under pressure from the nationwide unrest Thousands of Nepali youth including members of the diaspora organized an online vote for an interim prime minister using Discord a platform typically reserved for gaming communities This digital-first approach signals a fundamental shift in political engagement away from traditional electoral processes

Analysts report that over 60 percent of protesters were below the age of 28 and nearly half were students The use of memes viral hashtags and live streams amplified the message far beyond Kathmandu reaching Nepali communities across the globe

Bangladesh: Student Movements Transforming National Politics

Bangladesh in 2024 witnessed a similar pattern Students initially mobilized against discriminatory job quotas but the protests escalated after police crackdowns killed hundreds of demonstrators The movement evolved into a broad coalition demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina whose government had long been characterized as hardline and unresponsive Student leaders acted as spokespeople issuing ultimatums and lists of demands while opposition politicians provided limited support The government’s attempts to suppress dissent through brutal force and telecommunications blackouts only intensified the movement On August 5 2024 Hasina fled to India by helicopter marking the dramatic conclusion of one of South Asia’s most consequential youth uprisings

Experts noted that in Bangladesh the protest network extended to rural towns using social media and SMS communications The movement was decentralized with local student chapters coordinating demonstrations and reporting incidents of police violence The protests inspired solidarity actions in neighboring countries as young activists highlighted shared struggles of education inequality employment shortages and systemic nepotism

Sri Lanka: Economic Collapse Sparks Aragalaya

Two years prior Sri Lanka’s youth-led “Aragalaya” movement meaning “The Struggle” in Sinhala erupted amid economic collapse Daily life had become unbearable with twelve-hour power outages miles-long queues for essential goods and inflation exceeding 50 percent Youth activists established a protest camp outside Colombo’s Presidential Secretariat naming it “GotaGoGama” or “Gotta Go Village” after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa The camp became a hub for rallies art performances and speeches highlighting widespread dissatisfaction By mid-July 2022 Rajapaksa fled his residence and subsequently resigned ending the political reign of a family that had controlled the country for most of the previous two decades

The Sri Lankan protests were notable for creative engagement including theater performances and street art dramatizing corruption and government mismanagement Demonstrators set up makeshift classrooms and libraries within the protest camp signaling a commitment to civic education and community solidarity The youth movement relied heavily on social media to share updates international media attention and live streaming of sit-ins demonstrating their ability to shape global narratives

Common Threads Across South Asia

Despite the distinct histories and triggers behind each movement experts identify several recurring themes the disconnection between aging political leaders and the younger generation socioeconomic inequities and the desire for accountability Rumela Sen director of the master’s program in international affairs at Columbia University notes that these protests embody democratic aspirations emphasizing political inclusion economic justice and accountability

Meenakshi Ganguly of Human Rights Watch points out that Gen Z has experienced two significant global crises the 2008 financial recession and the COVID-19 pandemic shaping their worldview and amplifying their use of digital platforms These young people entered adulthood under governments led by leaders often in their seventies further intensifying the sense of dissonance Between Nepal’s Oli at 73 Bangladesh’s Hasina at 76 and Sri Lanka’s Rajapaksa at 74 political leadership is frequently removed from the realities faced by the majority of the population

The protests also resonate with broader cultural trends such as the #NepoKid movement in Indonesia highlighting global concerns about nepotism privilege and generational inequity Social media provides a space for youth to compare their leaders’ lifestyles with their own challenges further fueling outrage

The Gen Z Edge

A distinguishing factor in these movements is the digital fluency of Gen Z Unlike previous generations of protestors they leverage online tools effortlessly to organize communicate and express themselves Hashtags viral campaigns and online petitions have become central to protest strategies Attempts by governments to block the internet or restrict access to social media platforms have often backfired galvanizing the youth further In Nepal protesters reportedly refused to “unsee” the luxurious lifestyles of elite leaders linking moral outrage with tangible political action

Digital platforms also allow for decentralized organizing reducing the reliance on a single leader or figurehead This is evident in Bangladesh where student leaders coordinated demands and timelines but did not monopolize decision-making Similarly in Sri Lanka the Aragalaya camp became a hub for collective action rather than a top-down leadership structure This flexibility makes the movements resilient and adaptive

Learning From Each Other

Experts note that these uprisings are not occurring in isolation Youth activists in one country are learning from the experiences of others Jeevan Sharma a political anthropologist in Kathmandu emphasizes that Nepali youth closely observed Sri Lanka and Bangladesh while also drawing lessons from global movements in Indonesia and the Philippines The shared strategies include peaceful street demonstrations symbolic occupations of state buildings viral social media campaigns and decentralized leadership These tactics collectively form a new playbook for Gen Z activism across the region

Protesters have also shared advice digitally exchanging strategies for bypassing government surveillance crowd management and amplifying international attention Networks of activists in South Asia now operate transnationally offering mentorship guidance and technical support further strengthening their impact

Socioeconomic and Demographic Context

South Asia’s demographic profile contributes to the potency of these movements Nearly half of the population in Nepal Bangladesh and Sri Lanka is under 28 per capita GDP remains low but literacy rates exceed 70 percent Youthful populations with high digital literacy are particularly well-positioned to mobilize quickly across both urban and rural areas The socioeconomic focus of these protests jobs fairness and equity has broad appeal allowing movements to transcend ethnic religious or regional divides Unlike past uprisings centered on minority grievances or secessionist demands these campaigns address systemic issues impacting the majority increasing their scale and resonance

Economists have noted that rising youth unemployment food inflation and lack of social mobility have created a sense of urgency among Gen Z In Bangladesh youth unemployment exceeds 25 percent in urban areas while in Nepal young adults represent over 60 percent of the unemployed population High debt burdens in Sri Lanka combined with the collapse of essential services further added fuel to the generational discontent

The Future of Youth-Led Politics

While the immediate outcomes of these movements are clear the resignation or ouster of entrenched leaders the long-term effects remain uncertain Governments face the challenge of responding to mass mobilization without exacerbating unrest or undermining democratic processes The moral authority and technological savvy of Gen Z make these protests difficult to suppress suggesting that South Asia could continue to see waves of youth-led political upheaval in the coming years

Analysts warn that if governments fail to engage with the demands of this generation new cycles of protest may emerge elsewhere in the region The combination of economic frustration political disconnection and digital empowerment creates fertile ground for ongoing movements

Conclusion: A Generational Shift in South Asia

From stormed palaces in Colombo to student-led ultimatums in Dhaka to online votes in Kathmandu Gen Z is reshaping the political landscape of South Asia These uprisings are not merely reactions to local crises but a larger statement about the inability of traditional leadership structures to adapt to a rapidly changing world The movements emphasize fairness opportunity and accountability revealing a generation unwilling to accept the status quo

South Asia’s youth are crafting a new model of civic engagement one that blends digital fluency with moral conviction and grassroots organizing The region’s demographic and socioeconomic conditions coupled with unprecedented digital access suggest that these movements are likely only the beginning of a generational political transformation The question is no longer whether Gen Z will act but where they will assert their influence next

The revolutions sweeping through Nepal Bangladesh and Sri Lanka represent more than the toppling of governments They mark the emergence of a politically conscious digitally connected and highly mobilized generation that refuses to inherit systems built on broken promises For the leaders who remain and for the societies they govern Gen Z is sending a clear message the future will be written by those who refuse to remain silent