With Khaleda Zia’s Passing, an Important Era in Bangladeshi Politics Has Ended |
Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia breathed her last at 6 am on December 30 at Dhaka’s Evercare Hospital.
Zia’s passing after a prolonged illness not only marks the end of an era in Bangladesh’s turbulent politics but may also impact the February 12 general elections — the first in the country since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina, her political rival, from power in August 2024. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) which she led for decades, is the frontrunner in the upcoming elections.
Zia was Bangladesh’s first woman prime minister and the second in a Muslim country. Born in 1945 in Dinajpur, Zia’s early life was modest, far removed from the turbulence of politics. Her marriage to Gen Ziaur Rahman, a military officer who came to power in a coup and later became president, altered the course of her life. His assassination in 1981 thrust the “shy housewife” into public life.
Urged by BNP leaders to step into the vacuum, Zia joined the BNP in 1982 and quickly rose to prominence. In a nation scarred by coups and authoritarianism, Zia embodied resilience and emerged an uncompromising leader. She became the face of the opposition to military rule and mobilized students, civil society, and opposition parties against General Hussain Muhammad Ershad’s military regime. In 1986, she refused to participate in