Kathmandu’s Gen-Z Protests: Replay Of Bangladesh?

The news out of Nepal is that the tiny Himalayan nation’s prime minister, PK Sharma Oli, has been forced to resign after two days of widespread protests by Gen-Z youth, which saw more than a score dead and hundreds injured. Oil’s resignation and the public thrashing of some of his cabinet colleagues seem eerily similar to events that unfolded in Dhaka a year back.

At its core, the unrest was a raw expression of deep-seated frustration: the tiny nation has the lowest per capita income in South Asia and a staggering unemployment rate of nearly 13%. Add to that a deep-rooted corruption in governance and an economy which depends on remittances from youth forced to migrate abroad in search of jobs, and you have a heady mix of grievances waiting to turn into a tsunami.

Images from a more prosperous world beamed live by satellite TV, coupled with a lifestyle flaunted by Nepal’s political elite, have raised aspirations among the Nepalese youth. However, a largely stagnant agricultural economy, devoid of industry, means that even highly educated young people in Kathmandu are unable to find jobs which keep pace with their qualifications. While their grievances are genuine, the shape and execution of these protests suggest they may not have arisen spontaneously from grassroots discontent alone. Instead, they seem to follow a familiar “playbook” seen in recent civil uprisings across Asia.

Civil society organisations played an active role in organising and channelling the protests by youth, just as they did in neighbouring Bangladesh a year back. Well-coordinated efforts were visible from the start, with clear mobilisation strategies and targeted messaging using TikTok. While civil society groups at the heart of this uprising frame their activism around democratic rights and economic justice, the question of whether larger forces may be quietly supporting the protests remains open.

The Nepalese state now faces a dilemma. Last year, protestors had demanded a restoration of the monarchy, which still enjoys some prestige. Will the monarchy, supported by the military and a few political parties, or just the military on its own, take over to avoid further chaos?

However, the young “revolutionaries” seem to be against all vestiges of the past. Does this give a chance for a Bangladesh-style makeover, where an imported nominee, such as Prof. Mohammad Yunus, takes over along with his favourite cabal of student-ministers?

Ultimately, the Gen-Z protests in Nepal embody a genuine social and economic crisis, which may have been carefully orchestrated to create a Bangladesh-like situation. As the situation unfolds, the international community, regional powers, and local stakeholders must tread cautiously, mindful of not allowing legitimate dissent to be co-opted by hidden political forces. The future of Nepal depends not just on quelling unrest but on forging a meaningful path toward sustainable development and accountable governance.