Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has hinted that students may form a new political party, highlighting their growing political engagement across the country.
Speaking on a podcast during his visit to Davos, Switzerland, he stated that the students are actively organising and campaigning, though challenges remain.
"This is a good time because I have always sought to protect the unity of the nation. I do not want to deviate from that. One possibility is that students themselves will establish a party," Yunus told the Financial Times podcast Rachman Review, hosted by the publication’s chief foreign affairs commentator Gideon Rachman.
The conversation, which covered various global issues, was released in written form on Thursday (30 January).
Reflecting on his decision to include student representatives in the interim cabinet, Yunus said, "At the outset, when we were forming the cabinet, I inducted three students. I believed that if they could lay down their lives for the country, they should also have a seat at the table where decisions about the nation's future are made. They are doing commendable work."
He further elaborated on discussions among students regarding a potential political party.
"Now the students are saying, ‘Why don’t we form our own political party and take our chances?’ Some sceptics argue that they wouldn’t even secure a single parliamentary seat because they are relatively unknown. But I countered that by saying the entire nation knows them. Let them take their chances and decide their own path."
However, Yunus acknowledged potential pitfalls in the process, warning that political actors might attempt to influence or fragment the movement.
"There is a risk that, in the process of forming a party, divisions may emerge. Traditional politicians could try to infiltrate their ranks. Whether the students can insulate themselves from the entrenched political culture remains uncertain. But this is a chance worth taking, and the students are prepared—they are actively campaigning and organising across the country."
Addressing a broader question about youth involvement in politics, Yunus emphasised that young people are entering politics without personal ambition or vested interests.
"They are not driven by personal gain or political careerism. They are stepping in to safeguard the values they have fought for, lest they be eroded by those seeking to reinstate the old order. Their intentions are transparent," he remarked.
