Many of its supporters said the NCP effectively took itself out of the race by choosing in December to run alongside another long-established movement - the Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami.

The NCP had initially planned to contest nearly all seats, but ended up competing in only 30 in the coalition, which it said it joined because it needed the clout of a major player after a prominent member of the uprising was killed in Dhaka.

Analysts said the NCP had also failed to build up a big enough support base in time for the vote.

"They did not live up to the hopes and dreams people had after the 2024 uprising," 23-year-old university student Sohanur Rahman said.

"The NCP’s alignment with Jamaat felt like a betrayal, and many young voters like us chose not to support them."