Musings of first-time voters

In the whirlwind of campaigns and promises, and a whole nation looking forward to the upcoming elections, what are the first-time voters thinking about it all? 

Riazul Islam, a university student, opined that the excitement is more for first-time voters like him.

“I am looking forward to vote, quite simply because I have never voted before,” he said, and added —

“Voting sounds like an 'adult' thing to do, and this time I am eligible to take part!”  

Riazul's polling centre is not in Dhaka, the city he now lives in.

“I am looking forward to meet my cousins and school friends back in my hometown from where I will vote. The overall feeling, due to the campaigns but also for the reunion with many of my loved ones, is therefore quite similar to Eid or any other major festival,” he said.

Many of the campaigns have incorporated social media as a tool, from uploading promotional videos to appearing live on Facebook. 

“Whether you personally find these entertaining, useful, moving, or even distasteful is a separate matter. But it is interesting to see candidates embracing this media where the youth is so active,” Naureen Chowdhury, another first-time voter, commented.  

No matter what, they (the candidates) are getting their messages across.”

Naomi, a 19-year-old, has a lot of faith in her generation. She said, “We are politically and socially aware, despite what many from the older generations think. The role of young people in the past few movements is proof enough,” she said.

“I for one am actually eager on manifestos and scrutinising candidates  --not just electoral symbols or political parties-- to make a final decision. It may sound obvious, but I am getting the chance to have someone represent me in the parliament.”

She further said, “It is very personal but also larger than life at the same time — and this time around, I am a part of it!”

On the other hand, many are still contemplating whether to actually vote or not. “None of the candidates from my area seem promising to me. And will the election really be free and fair?” Rajib Ahmed, a twenty-year-old and a small business owner, expressed his concerns.

“I assume it would be a nice experience to vote, but just the sake of experience itself doesn't count much” he said with an air of scepticism.

“I am not apolitical” — that's a general sentiment expressed by numerous first-time voters and the youth at large when asked about the upcoming elections. The statement may have been accompanied with a number of varying thoughts, from a mere 'meh' to the more enthusiastic debates, but there is one point which comes across clearly: politics and our future are very much in the minds of first-time voters.

By Zane