The Pulse Survey: July 2025 – Citizens’ Perceptions, Expectations, and Experiences, conducted by BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD), BRAC University, revealed that most people want both timely elections as well as swift implementation of key reforms.
The findings of the pulse survey shed light on Bangladeshi citizens’ perception of the political and economic atmosphere of the country. The survey also looked into public evaluation of the interim government’s performance, citizens’ thoughts on the political party formed by the youth, and public perception of the upcoming national elections. BIGD previously conducted two pulse surveys on the same topic—one in August 2024 and another in October 2024.
Data was collected from 5,489 men and women (men: 53% and women: 47%) from all districts (rural population: 73% and urban population: 27%) through a phone survey conducted from July 1 to July 20, 2025. The complete findings are available on BIGD’s website.
Public Perception of Reforms and Elections
The majority of the respondents have expressed a strong demand for both elections and reforms, not one over the other. While 32% of the respondents said that they would like elections to be held before December 2025 and 12% stated that they want the elections to be held by February 2026, 25% of the respondents said that elections should be held after December 2026. When asked if they think the upcoming national elections will be free and fair, 70% of the respondents replied in the affirmative, while 15% said that they don’t believe the elections will be free or fair.
When asked who they will vote for, 49% of the respondents said they are still undecided, compared to 38% of the respondents from the October 2024 survey. Female respondents were more undecided than their male counterparts, with 55% indicating they were still unsure about whom to vote for, up from 43% in October 2024.
Among those who disclosed their voting preference, 12% expressed support for BNP, 10.4% for Jamaat-e-Islami, 7.3% for Awami League, and 2.8% for NCP. Additionally, 14.4% of the respondents chose not to answer the question, while 1.7% said they would not vote. Interestingly, when asked who they believed would win in their respective constituencies, 38% named BNP, followed by 13% who mentioned Jamaat, 7% who said Awami League, and 1% who chose NCP. Another 3% mentioned other parties, while 29% responded with ‘don’t know’, and 9% refused to answer.
The survey found that, contrary to conventional elite assumptions, ordinary people are aware of and enthusiastic about reforms. When asked about the reforms, 51% of the respondents said that the elections should be held after necessary reforms are implemented, while 17% said that some of the key reform agendas should be introduced before the elections. In contrast, 14% said that it would be better to prioritise elections over reforms, and 17% stated that they don’t know anything about the reforms or had no comments.
When asked which reforms they consider most important, 57% of respondents highlighted changes related to the police and justice systems, including improving law and order (30%), enhancing the justice system (16%), and ensuring security (11%). In contrast, 39% emphasised economic reforms, such as addressing economic downturns and business challenges (16%), reducing the prices of essentials (13%), and lowering unemployment (10%). Another 38% mentioned reforms regarding electoral and constitutional reforms, which include electoral reforms (19%) and reducing political intolerance and instability (19%). Additionally, 17% identified anti-corruption measures as their top priority, while 14% focused on reforms in the education system.
The Mood of the Nation Regarding Politics and the Economy
The survey indicated that the optimism, which existed in August 2024, regarding the country’s political future is gradually diminishing. In July 2025, 42% of the respondents felt that the country was heading in the right political direction, compared to 56% in October 2024 and 71% in August 2024.
In contrast, a slight increase was seen in public perception of the country’s economic direction, with 45% of the respondents believing that we are on the right path, compared to 43% in October 2024 and 60% in August 2024
Governance, Economy, and Security Emerge as Key Public Concerns
When asked about the major challenges facing the country, responses were more varied compared to the October 2024 survey, in which 50% of respondents had identified price hikes as the primary issue. In July 2025, on the contrary, 18% identified the absence of an elected government as a major issue, and only 15% pointed to business or economic downturns. Additionally, 14% cited the deterioration of law and order, 13% mentioned political unrest and intolerance, and 9% highlighted price hikes.
The performance rating of the interim government has also declined over time—from 75 in August 2024 to 68 in October 2024, and further down to 63 in July 2025. Several factors may have contributed to this downward trend. The most pressing concern highlighted by respondents was mob violence, with 80% describing the situation as precarious. Additionally, 67% cited public harassment over clothing choices as a significant issue, 61% expressed safety concerns when moving around at night, and 56% rated the state of women’s safety as poor.
Public Opinion Divided on the New Youth-Led Political Party
There were mixed reactions regarding the new political party formed by the youth who led the July Uprising. When asked whether they supported these young people forming their own party, 45% responded affirmatively, 46% opposed, and 6% were unsure. Similarly, regarding the survival of youth-led political parties in the country’s political landscape, 38% believed they would endure, 36% thought they would not, and 26% were uncertain or declined to comment.
The reasons cited by those who believe youth-led parties will endure include the power of fresh and innovative thinking (27%), leadership stemming from the July Revolution (25%), hope for positive change (24%), courage (23%), and honesty (20%). Conversely, those sceptical about their sustainability pointed to a lack of experience (53%), a lack of capable leadership (18%), voter distrust or low public support (15%), a culture of political intolerance (13%), and organisational weaknesses.
