Bangladesh’s first female Prime Minister dies in Dhaka
Islamabad, Hilal Ahmad, December 30, AZERTAC
Chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Bangladesh’s first female Prime Minister, Begum Khaleda Zia, passed away after a prolonged illness while undergoing treatment at a hospital in the capital Dhaka early Tuesday.
Following the assassination of her husband, former President Ziaur Rahman, in 1981, Khaleda Zia entered politics in 1982 after previously leading a private life. She went on to leave a lasting political legacy in Bangladesh.
Begum Khaleda Zia had served as chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party since 1984. The party was founded by her husband in 1978. She first came to national prominence as the First Lady of Bangladesh after Ziaur Rahman became President in 1977. After his assassination, she assumed leadership of the BNP and later became Prime Minister following the party’s victory in the 1991 general election, serving until 1996. Her party returned to power in 2001, and she served a second term as Prime Minister until 2006.
Throughout her political career, Begum Khaleda Zia was arrested multiple times, including during the period leading up to 2024. In 2018, she was sentenced to a total of 17 years in prison. Following the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajid in August 2024, Khaleda Zia was released from confinement by the interim government. On August 19, 2024, authorities ordered the unfreezing of her bank accounts, which had been frozen since 2007.
She is particularly remembered for her role in expanding access to education and introducing key economic reforms.
Chief Adviser of Bangladesh’s interim government, Muhammad Yunus, expressed deep sorrow over the passing of the former Prime Minister, describing her as a symbol of the country’s democratic movement. In a condolence message, he said the nation had lost one of its great guardians, noting that Khaleda Zia was not merely a political leader but a figure representing an important chapter in Bangladesh’s history.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif also expressed deep shock over her demise. In a post on X, he said he was deeply saddened by the passing of Begum Khaleda Zia, Chairperson of the BNP and former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, adding that her lifelong service to the country left a lasting legacy. He also described her as a committed friend of Pakistan.
Despite years of ill health and imprisonment, Begum Khaleda Zia had vowed to campaign in the elections scheduled for February 2026. These elections are set to be the first since the mass uprising that toppled Sheikh Hasina Wajid’s government in 2024.
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