As a person who is deeply influenced by leftist ideals, Zohran Mamdani’s win as the mayoral candidate in New York City did make me feel a sense of happiness, as did the success of Jean-Luc Mélenchon in the 2024 France elections or Jeremy Corbyn in the election in England. But in the same vein, I am forced to remember that the political parties that claim to espouse leftist ideals in Bangladesh are in a very poor condition, which I hope they themselves would agree as well. Considering that these parties are electoralist(a label that I don’t intend to use derogatorily), their influence in national elections and politics is very thin.
But in a world where corporate profit-seeking is indeed endangering the lives of millions and destroying the environment, in a capitalist dystopia that is slowly facilitating the state to become more and more surveillant, socialist ideas are far from dead. Citizens living under capitalism, while appreciating its achievements, also implicitly understand its unfairness – the income inequality it produces or the fact that necessities such as health become a profit game. The citizens of Bangladesh are also victims of exploitation under global capitalism, and these people, too, aspire for politics that can facilitate them. But there is a significant lack of voice for them in national politics, which was supposed to be filled by the leftist parties, who have traditionally sought to represent the working class.
Zohran Mamdani became that voice for the general public of New York City, which earned him his victory in the 2025 Mayoral election. Although he participated in the election from the Democratic Party, he was endorsed and supported by the Democratic Socialists of America(DSA), and he calls himself a democratic socialist. So, can the Bangladeshi left parties, who are supposed to share the same ideology, learn from Zohran? Although the political landscape of the USA and Bangladesh is significantly different, I believe a number of lessons can be learnt.
Fearmongering Cannot Be An Excuse
There were a few comments on social media that if Mamdani were in Bangladesh, he would inevitably be catcalled and bullied as a “Shahbagi” and the same people who are now cheering Zohran would be against him. But there were indeed catcalls and bullying against Zohran in the US – decades of McCarthyism have made “socialism” or “communism” one of the most hated words there. The politicians casually characterise their opponents as communists or socialists to vilify them and turn the public support against them. The legacy media of the country, even the President himself, joined in the campaign against him, but he didn’t shed that identity, boldly claiming that he is a Democratic Socialist. If Mamdani can make the identity of being a socialist popular in a country that has a long history of marking socialists as the supreme public enemy, the Bangladeshi left should not provide the fearmongering about the left in Bangladesh as an excuse. It is the responsibility of the leftist parties to reach the citizens they wish to represent. There is no democracy without opposition. While it is true that in the Bangladeshi political scene, opposing a party usually ends up in harassment or violence, the parties themselves have to fight through this battle to win their constituencies.
A Campaign Of Hope
Leftists in general have a terrible reputation for being the supreme critics of everything existing and not offering any solutions. Campaigning in despair seldom wins voters or elections. People want to build something, work towards achieving a goal. If the left doesn’t offer that vision, the right wing eventually will. Zohran’s campaign was full of hope and was premised on building New York. This was and still is a popular sentiment among the citizens of New York that Zohran has given them hope, more than anything.
This is an important lesson to learn: the left needs to inspire citizens in building a better life. Only “ruthless criticism of everything existing” makes citizens aware of the issues with the current order, but without an alternative which they can envision, that awareness will eventually lead to “but that’s just the way it is.”
Policies, Policies and Policies
This one lesson has already been popular – the left needs to have proper and specific policies they would like to implement. Mamdani’s universal childcare, healthcare, public bus services or rent freeze – to name a few – produced a material vision for his constituencies to strive for. Connecting it to the previous two points, Mamdani overcame the fearmongering of socialism with his spelt-out policies and these policies, in turn, gave the New Yorkers hope – hope for a better life. What does a better life in Bangladesh entail? How are these different in metropolises, semi-urban areas or in villages? The Bangladeshi left needs to identify the citizens they want to represent, and find out exactly how their lives can be improved. Mamdani and his volunteers roamed around the city and knocked on doors to understand what they wanted, which became the foundation for his campaign. Enough ink has already been spilt over this, not only after Zohran but also previously. The Bangladeshi left needs to know their constituencies – and know what they need.
For The Minorities, Of The Minorities
Mamdani made another significant move in New York – standing up for minorities unabashedly. He himself belongs to a minority community, but that didn’t stop him from collaborating or organising with other minorities – he built a coalition along with racial minorities such as South Asians or Blacks, alongside sexual and gender minorities. The Bangladeshi left, while it has historically shown solidarity with religious minorities, has failed to build a collective coalition and voter base among the minorities in the country. Religious minorities among the muslim community itself, such as Shias or Ahmadiyyas, who have historically been vilified by the more conservative Islamist parties or Bihari citizens, as well as indigenous communities, who have been vilified by the Bengali nationalists, should be able to find their representation in the left. Mamdani’s coalition-building approach, or uniting the people from different identities under an umbrella of human rights and a better life, can be exemplary.
Youth Factor
Gerentocracy is a feature of the political scene in Bangladesh, and the leftists aren’t an exception to that fact. To survive and thrive in the new world, the parties must bring youth to the forefront along with modern ideas. There was a buzz a few months ago around the fact that the crowdfunding of NCP would be automated and public. These sorts of new and innovative ideas are lacking among the leftist parties. In 2025, online narrative control or online presence is as important as the offline ones. Mamdani’s campaign consisted of different innovative and creative ideas, him speaking in different languages, using pop culture and so on. The left needs to boost their persona, their campaign and introduce 21st-century ideas into their fold. Technology is a resource that is being exploited by all other political parties, and without excelling in that field, the left would continue to lose the narrative and influence.
It is yet to be seen how much Mamdani could actually deliver on his promises. He has a long and tough battle to fight against the establishment. But nonetheless, his victory has inspired new and young left-leaning candidates to stand up, not only in the USA, but worldwide. As a sympathiser of leftist politics, I would be more than happy to see the rise of the left in my home country, Bangladesh, as well. But, without proper groundwork, the left cannot expect itself to be granted the victory without opposition. It is necessary to self-criticise and act on those loopholes. Bangladesh needs a strong left, and leftists have a chance to start anew in the political climate after 5th August 2024. We hope to see the rise of them in the upcoming future.
Sadman Ahmed Siam is an independent columnist and a student of the Islamic University of Technology.
