Bangladesh's first woman prime minister, Khaleda Zia, has died in Dhaka at the age of 80, closing a significant chapter in the nation's political history. The former leader passed away on Tuesday after a prolonged illness, her doctors confirmed.
A Political Legacy and a Rivalry That Shaped a Nation
Khaleda Zia first became prime minister in 1991, emerging as one of the two dominant poles of Bangladeshi politics alongside her arch-rival, Sheikh Hasina. For decades, the two women traded power, their intense personal and political rivalry earning them the nickname the "Battling Begums". This dynamic defined the country's democracy for a generation.
Her death, coupled with Sheikh Hasina's ouster following mass street protests in 2024, signals the probable end of a rare period of women-led governance in South Asia. Though out of power since 2006 and having spent years in jail or under house arrest during Hasina's rule, Zia and her conservative Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) retained substantial public support.
From Shy Housewife to Formidable Political Leader
Zia's political journey began in tragedy. She was described as a shy housewife focused on her two sons until her husband, military ruler and later President Ziaur Rahman, was assassinated in an attempted army coup in 1981. Three years later, she took the helm of the BNP, which he had founded, vowing to continue his mission.
In a pivotal moment, she initially collaborated with Sheikh Hasina, the daughter of Bangladesh's founding father, to lead a popular uprising that toppled military ruler Hossain Mohammad Ershad in 1990. However, their alliance was short-lived, giving way to a bitter and enduring feud.
Her 1991 election victory, achieved with the support of the Islamic party Jamaat-e-Islami, made her Bangladesh's first female premier and only the second woman to lead a democratic government in a majority-Muslim nation after Pakistan's Benazir Bhutto.
Tumultuous Tenure and Legal Battles
During her time in office, Zia replaced the presidential system with a parliamentary one, lifted restrictions on foreign investment, and made primary education compulsory and free. She served three terms, but her second was marred by the rise of Islamist militancy and corruption allegations.
A grenade attack on a rally addressed by Sheikh Hasina in 2004, which killed over 20 people, was widely blamed on Zia's government and its Islamist allies. Her son, Tarique Rahman, was later tried in absentia and sentenced to life in jail for the attack, a verdict the BNP denounced as politically motivated.
Zia herself was sentenced to 17 years in jail in two separate corruption cases involving funds meant for a charity named after her late husband. She was released in 2020 but remained under strict conditions. The charges, she maintained, were fabricated to weaken the opposition.
In a significant turn, the Supreme Court acquitted her in the last remaining case in January 2025. Shortly after, she travelled to London for a four-month period of medical treatment, having been granted permission by the interim government of Muhammad Yunus.
A Nation Mourns and a Political Dynasty Continues
Tributes have poured in from across the political spectrum. Bangladesh's current interim leader, Muhammad Yunus, said he was "deeply saddened and grief-stricken" and declared Zia a "Very, Very Important Person of the State".
Sheikh Hasina, now living in India, offered condolences, acknowledging Zia's role as the first woman prime minister and her contributions to the nation's democratic struggle. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed his deep sadness at her passing.
Zia's death comes at a critical juncture. It was widely expected she would run in the general election scheduled for February. That mantle will now fall to her son, Tarique Rahman, who returned to Bangladesh last week after 17 years in self-exile and is the BNP's acting chairman.
Her passing leaves a profound vacuum in Bangladeshi politics. She is survived by Tarique, her heir apparent. Her younger son, Arafat, died in 2015.
