Post by : Meena Ariff

Khaleda Zia, the first female prime minister of Bangladesh and a towering figure in the country's political history, has passed away at the age of 80 after a prolonged illness. She was hospitalized for several weeks, battling serious health conditions including kidney failure, heart disease, and pneumonia. Despite receiving intensive medical care and being placed on life support, her health gradually deteriorated, leading to her death.

Zia’s political journey began under tragic circumstances. After the assassination of her husband, former President Ziaur Rahman, in a military coup in 1981, she stepped into the political arena to lead the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). Rising from a background where she was known primarily as the president’s wife, Khaleda Zia quickly established herself as a formidable political leader in her own right.

In 1991, she made history by becoming Bangladesh’s first female prime minister. This milestone came after her party won the country’s first democratic election in 20 years, marking a significant return to parliamentary democracy. Her leadership broke the glass ceiling in Bangladesh’s male-dominated political landscape and inspired many women across the nation.

Throughout her career, Khaleda Zia’s political path was deeply intertwined with her rival Sheikh Hasina, leader of the Awami League. The rivalry between these two women defined Bangladesh’s politics for decades, with power regularly shifting between them in alternating governments. Their fierce competition often polarized the nation, but it also entrenched a multi-party democratic system.

During her time in office, Zia focused on improving women’s education and social development programs. Her government worked to strengthen parliamentary democracy by promoting bipartisan cooperation and constitutional reforms. These efforts helped stabilize the country’s democratic institutions after years of military and autocratic rule.

However, Zia’s political career was not without controversy. Her second term, which lasted only a few weeks in 1996, faced criticism due to a disputed election process. Later, her administration was marred by allegations of corruption, and she was convicted on charges which she consistently denied, calling them politically motivated attempts to undermine her party.

Despite these challenges, Zia remained a central figure in Bangladesh’s opposition politics. Even as she battled ongoing health issues and legal battles, she continued to be the symbol of resistance against the ruling Awami League government. Her leadership galvanized her supporters and maintained the BNP’s influence in national politics.

Recently, Zia’s son, Tarique Rahman, who spent nearly two decades in self-imposed exile in London, returned to Bangladesh. Seen as the likely future leader of the BNP, his comeback has added new momentum to the party's efforts to regain power.

In her final days, Khaleda Zia was surrounded by her family, including Tarique Rahman, his wife, and daughter. Her supporters and political allies have paid tribute to her legacy as a pioneering woman leader and a champion of democracy in Bangladesh.

Political leaders and citizens across the country have expressed their condolences and remembered Khaleda Zia as a “great guardian” of democracy whose role in shaping the nation’s political landscape will be long remembered.

#Global News