Dhaka Correspondent
Former Prime Minister of Bangladesh and Chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Begum Khaleda Zia, has passed away. She breathed her last at 6:00 am on Tuesday at Evercare Hospital in the capital (Inna Lillahi wa Inna Ilaihi Raji’un).
Her death was confirmed by her personal physician, Dr. A.Z.M. Zahid Hossain.
At the time of her demise, her elder son and BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, daughter-in-law Dr. Zobaida Rahman, granddaughter Zaima Rahman, younger son’s wife Sharmila Rahman Sithi, younger brother Shamim Eskandar, his wife, elder sister Selina Islam, other relatives, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, and all members of the medical board formed for her treatment were present at the hospital.
Widely known as the “Uncompromising Leader” in Bangladesh’s politics, the nation has lost a guardian with the death of this eminent stateswoman. Her passing has cast a deep shadow of grief over the country’s political landscape. Her role in movements against military rule, the restoration of democracy, and as a symbol of women’s leadership in Bangladesh was undeniable. With the death of this three-time former prime minister, an era in the country’s democratic history has come to an end.
It may be recalled that in February 2018, following what BNP described as a politically motivated case, she was convicted and sent to prison. In 2020, Begum Zia was released on conditional bail under an executive order of the government. Until her death, she spent her days battling serious illness. During this period, she met various national and international dignitaries, along with BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, members of the party’s Standing Committee, and leaders of several opposition parties.
On the night of November 23 this year, Khaleda Zia was admitted to Evercare Hospital in Dhaka. She spent her hospital days amid repeated deterioration and slight improvement in her physical condition. Earlier, on October 15, she had also been admitted to the same hospital for medical tests. On that day, Professor Dr. F.M. Siddiqui, a member of her medical board, told journalists that she was suffering from chest infection and complications involving her heart and lungs.
Following the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government through the July–August movement last year, President Md. Sahabuddin exercised his authority under Article 49 of the Constitution to pardon Khaleda Zia’s sentence. At that time, she was undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital. On January 8 this year, she traveled to London for advanced medical treatment. After four months, on May 6, she returned home aboard an air ambulance provided by the Amir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. She had also traveled to London on the same air ambulance. Prior to her departure, Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman paid her a courtesy visit at her Gulshan residence.
The Amir of Qatar extended the air ambulance support after learning about the former prime minister’s critical health condition.
Begum Khaleda Zia was born on August 15, 1945, in Nayabasti area of Jalpaiguri, West Bengal, in the then undivided Indian subcontinent.
According to BNP sources and biographical accounts, her family name was Khaleda Khanam and her nickname was Putul. A physician friend of her father, Avani Guha Niyogi, affectionately called the newborn “Shanti.” The world had just emerged from World War II, and the atomic bombings in Japan had occurred only days earlier. Amid widespread peace marches, the newborn girl came to be named “Shanti,” reflecting the people’s longing for peace. Later, the name “Putul,” given by her elder sister Selina Islam, became her popular nickname.
Late journalist Mahfuz Ullah, however, mentioned in his biography that Khaleda Zia was born in Dinajpur.
Her ancestral home is in Fulgazi upazila of Feni district, Bangladesh. Her father was Iskandar Majumder and her mother Begum Taiyaba Majumder. She was the third among three sisters Khurshed Jahan Haque (Chocolate), Selina Islam (Beauty), and Khaleda Khanam (Putul) and two brothers, Major Saeed Eskandar and Shamim Eskandar. Among them, sister Selina Rahman and brother Shamim Eskandar are still alive.
Political Life and Rise:
Begum Khaleda Zia spent much of her life as the wife of President Ziaur Rahman. After President Ziaur Rahman was assassinated on April 30, 1981, at the Chittagong Circuit House by a group of army officers, she joined the BNP on January 3, 1982. In March 1983, she became the party’s Senior Vice Chairperson. On April 1, 1983, she delivered her first speech at an extended party meeting. When Justice Abdus Sattar fell ill, she assumed the role of Acting Chairperson of the BNP.
On May 10, 1984, she was elected Chairperson of the party, a position she held until her death. In 2018, she was sentenced to five years in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case filed during the caretaker government led by Fakhruddin Ahmed and Moeen Uddin. She was placed in the abandoned old Dhaka jail under special arrangements. Later, on April 1, she was admitted to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University. Subsequently, the High Court increased her sentence to 10 years.
Three-Time Prime Minister:
Begum Khaleda Zia was elected Prime Minister in 1991, 1996, and 2001. After winning the 1991 general election, she became Bangladesh’s first female Prime Minister. Under her leadership, the Twelfth Amendment to the Constitution restored the parliamentary system, replacing the presidential form of government.
Following the February 15, 1996 election, she served briefly as Prime Minister of the Sixth Parliament. Later that year, after the introduction of the non-party caretaker government system, the BNP lost the Seventh Parliamentary Election, and she became the Leader of the Opposition.
In 2001, she was elected Prime Minister for the third time under the banner of the Four-Party Alliance comprising the BNP, Jatiya Party, Jamaat-e-Islami, and Islami Oikya Jote.
After the 2008 election, she again became the Leader of the Opposition. In 2014, she boycotted the Tenth National Parliamentary Election along with most major political parties. During the Eleventh Parliamentary Election on December 31, 2018, when Khaleda Zia was in prison, the BNP participated through coordination between the National Unity Front and the 20-party alliance. Due to her conviction, she could not contest the election, and no member of the Zia family participated.
The “Uncompromising Leader”:
From resisting military rule to leading the opposition, Begum Khaleda Zia remained firm and unyielding against autocracy and authoritarianism. She never bowed to hegemonic forces. For her, the country’s independence and sovereignty were greater than party or power. This uncompromising stance earned her the title of the “Uncompromising Leader” among millions. Her long struggle for democracy remains a significant chapter in Bangladesh’s political history.
Prolonged Illness and Final Days:
For many years, she suffered from age-related complications, including kidney and liver ailments, diabetes, and arthritis. After her conviction in February 2018, she was imprisoned. In March 2020, she was released on conditional bail through an executive order and stayed at her Gulshan residence, “Firoza.” As her health deteriorated, she was repeatedly admitted to hospitals.
With her death, Bangladesh’s pro-democracy citizens have lost a courageous and resolute leader an absence that will leave a lasting impact on the country’s future political landscape.