Begum Khaleda Zia, a dominant force in Bangladeshi politics for over four decades and the nation’s first female prime minister, passed away on Tuesday in Dhaka following a long battle with illness. She was 80, according to officials.
The interim government has declared that her funeral will take place on Wednesday with full state honors. She will be laid to rest next to her husband, the late President Ziaur Rahman.
As chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Khaleda Zia held the office of prime minister on three occasions, becoming the country’s first woman in that role. Leaders from around the globe, including those from India, the United States, China, and Pakistan, paid tribute to her, recognizing her significant contributions to Bangladesh’s contemporary political landscape.
Born in 1945, she entered politics after the 1981 assassination of her husband, Ziaur Rahman, a former army chief who founded the BNP and led the country during a phase of military rule. Assuming leadership of the party, Khaleda Zia advanced rapidly, guiding a popular movement that restored parliamentary democracy after years of authoritarian governance and securing the premiership in 1991.
Her tenures included a full term from 1991 to 1996, a short stint later that year, and another complete term from 2001 to 2006. These periods saw Bangladesh shift toward economic liberalization and deeper ties with regional and global partners.
Her career was defined by an intense rivalry with Sheikh Hasina of the Awami League, daughter of Bangladesh’s independence leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. This contest between the two women shaped national politics for decades, frequently resulting in political gridlock, mass protests, and outbreaks of unrest.
Supporters praise her for bolstering democratic frameworks and pursuing balanced foreign policy, while detractors blamed her governments for corruption, poor administration, and fostering instability. In her later years, she faced multiple corruption convictions and imprisonment, which the BNP denounced as politically driven.
Her health deteriorated markedly in the last decade due to various chronic conditions, limiting her public appearances as she sought treatment domestically and overseas. Nonetheless, she continued as the BNP’s iconic figure, especially amid party challenges from governmental pressures.
Upon news of her passing, top BNP officials hailed her as pivotal to Bangladesh’s democratic progress and urged peaceful remembrance. Mourners assembled at her Dhaka home for prayers and tributes, with party flags flown at half-mast nationwide.
The interim administration announced enhanced security in the capital for the funeral, anticipated to draw prominent politicians, diplomats, and international delegates.
Khaleda Zia’s death signifies the conclusion of an era in Bangladeshi politics, marked by fierce competition, widespread mobilization, and the profound impact of two influential dynasties on the nation’s history since independence.
