Youth Awakening in South Asia 2024-2025: Gen Z-Led Movements and the Struggle for Democracy in SAARC Countries

BOOK DESCRIPTION Youth Awakening in South Asia 2024-2025: Gen Z-Led Movements and the Struggle for Democracy in SAARC Countries In the summer of 2024, a 25-year-old student named Abu Sayed stood with arms outstretched before Bangladeshi police, becoming an icon of peaceful resistance before being shot dead. His image would inspire millions across South Asia in what became the most significant youth-led democratic uprising in the region's modern history. This groundbreaking work chronicles the extraordinary wave of Gen Z-driven movements that swept across Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka during 2024-2025, forever altering the political landscape of South Asia. Youth Awakening in South Asia 2024-2025 provides the definitive account of how Generation Z—armed with smartphones, social media savvy, and an uncompromising demand for justice—toppled governments, challenged authoritarian regimes, and sparked a regional democratic renaissance. From Bangladesh's July Revolution that ousted Sheikh Hasina after 15 years of rule, to Nepal's social media uprising that forced Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli's resignation, to Pakistan's persistent PTI rallies challenging electoral fraud, and Sri Lanka's post-Aragalaya activism, this book captures the interconnected nature of youth resistance across the SAARC region. Drawing on extensive research, real-time reporting, and exclusive interviews with protest leaders, Dr. Naim Tahir Baig presents a meticulously documented analysis of how over 700 million young South Asians under 24 became the driving force of political change. The book reveals how economic inequality, rampant corruption, unemployment rates exceeding 20%, and digital repression created the perfect storm for revolutionary action. Through compelling narratives, the author demonstrates how these movements transcended traditional political boundaries, uniting diverse communities around shared demands for transparency, accountability, and dignity. The work goes beyond mere chronology to explore the deeper implications of these movements for democracy, governance, and social change in South Asia. It examines how digital mobilization strategies, leaderless organizational structures, and cross-border inspiration networks enabled young protesters to challenge entrenched power structures. The book also critically analyzes the outcomes—both triumphs and setbacks—of these uprisings, offering insights into the sustainability of youth-led democratic movements and their potential to reshape the future of the world's most populous region. Essential reading for anyone seeking to understand contemporary South Asian politics, youth activism, and the future of democracy in the 21st century.