A Rivalry That Defined a Nation
Khaleda Zia, the first woman to serve as prime minister of Bangladesh, has died at the age of 80. Her passing marks the end of an era dominated by one of the world's most intense and enduring political rivalries. For over three decades, her contest for power with Sheikh Hasina, the daughter of the nation's founder, shaped the destiny of the South Asian country.
Both women ascended to leadership through family tragedy. Zia's husband, Ziaur Rahman, the country's first military ruler, was assassinated in 1981. Hasina's father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was murdered in 1975. Their subsequent feud, known as the 'battle of the begums', became the central drama of Bangladeshi politics, characterised by alternating terms in office, accusations of corruption, violent street protests, and periods of military intervention.
From Shy Housewife to Political Titan
Born Khaleda Khanam in Jalpaiguri in 1945, in what was then British-ruled Bengal, her journey to power was improbable. Often described in her early years as a 'shy housewife', she married army officer Ziaur Rahman in 1960. She was not even a member of his Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) when he was killed.
However, she joined the BNP in 1982 and demonstrated remarkable resilience. By 1984, she was its national chairperson. She endured periods of house arrest under the military dictatorship of General Hussain Muhammad Ershad, refusing to let her party contest a 1986 election held under martial law. This principled stand bolstered her credibility, leading to her historic victory in the 1991 election, which was free from military interference.
A Legacy of Growth and Turmoil
During her two terms in office—from 1991 to 1996 and again from 2001 to 2006—Zia pursued her husband's policy of economic liberalisation. Her tenure is credited with accelerating Bangladesh's growth, with the World Bank noting the country's rise to lower-middle-income status. A key part of her legacy was the empowerment of women and girls, particularly in education, helping Bangladesh achieve gender parity in school enrolment.
Yet, her time in power was also marked by deep political dysfunction. Her alliance with the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami party, pursued to gain a parliamentary majority, drew criticism. Her second term saw growing Islamist radicalism and allegations that her elder son, Tarique Rahman, was running a parallel government, contributing to significant unrest.
After leaving office in 2006, she never returned to power. She boycotted the 2014 election and was convicted of corruption in 2018, a case her supporters decried as politically motivated. Sentenced to prison, her deteriorating health saw her moved to house arrest in 2020. All restrictions were lifted following Sheikh Hasina's resignation in 2024 after a violent uprising. An interim government acquitted Zia of all charges, but she will not contest the upcoming election, which will be the first since 1991 without either of the two 'begums' on the ballot.
Khaleda Zia's life was a testament to the turbulent nature of dynastic politics in South Asia. She is survived by her son, Tarique Rahman, who now leads the BNP. Her younger son, Arafat, died in 2015.
