Who Was Khaleda Zia? Life, Politics and Legacy of Bangladesh’s First Woman PM
Kazi Nasir | Dec 30, 2025, 12:24 IST
Khaleda Zia, former Bangladeshi prime minister and archrival of Hasina, dies at 80
Image credit : AP
Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh’s first woman Prime Minister and a towering figure in the country’s politics, died at the age of 80 after a prolonged illness. From her early life as a homemaker to becoming a three-time Prime Minister, Zia’s journey shaped modern Bangladesh. Widowed after the assassination of President Ziaur Rahman, she emerged as a key leader in the fight against military rule and later governed during crucial democratic transitions
Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh's first female Prime Minister, died this morning 6.00 a.m. She was going through a prolonged illness at the age of 80 with advanced cirrhosis of the liver, arthritis, diabetes, chest and heart problems, said her doctors. Prime Minister Narendra Modi at 9:47 a.m. expressed condolences on her demise, “Our sincerest condolences to her family and all the people of Bangladesh. May the Almighty grant her family the fortitude to bear this tragic loss,” on a X post, he said.
Once described as a "shy housewife" who was devoted to her two sons, Tarique Rahman and Arafat Rahman, how did she become a major figure in Bangladesh's politics?
She was the wife of Bangladesh's "Announcer of the Liberation," Ziaur Rahman, also known as the Shaheed President. Who served sixth president of Bangladesh from 1977 to 1981, when he was assassinated. His murder led to the rise of Khaleda Zia in Bangla Desh politics.
She was born in 1945 in Jalpaiguri, which is now part of West Bengal. During the partition of 1947 her family migrated to then called East Pakistan (Now Bangladesh). At the age of 15, she married to Ziaur Rahman, who was then a captain in the Pakistan Army.
After the assassination of her husband, Zia found herself campaigning for democracy in 1982 against the military dictatorship of Hussain Muhammad Ershad. She was put under house arrest several times from 1986 to 1990. After the mass uprising of 1990 in Bangladesh and the fall of Ershad's military government, she served as Bangladesh's prime minister three times. First, from March 1991 to February 1996, her second term lasted for only a couple of weeks in 1996 and then her third term from October 2001 to October 2006.
In her term, she introduced a constitutional amendment to reserve 45 seats in the legislature for female MPs. In a country where 70% of women were illiterate, she worked to educate young women. Children were receiving only two years of education on average. She made education mandatory for all and made primary school free.
Soon after stepping down from the chair of power in October 2006, she found herself in the midst of chaos - a wave of riots, crackdown and accusations. She was arrested several times afterwards and accused of extortion and corruption. Both women, she and her great rival, Sheikh Hasina, were suddenly mired in court cases. Zia was placed under virtual house arrest. However, in 2008, restrictions were lifted from her and she was allowed to participate in military-sponsored elections that ended with the formation of the government of Sheikh Hasina.
Once again, a case was filed against Zia in 2011 by the Anti-Corruption Commission, accusing her of using undisclosed income to purchase land which was named a charity after her late Husband Rahman. She was arrested again.
The general election of 2014 was boycotted by her supporters, arguing that the rigging of votes by the Awami League. Aftermath came the widespread arrests of BNP activists and half of the seats in Bangladesh's parliament were elected uncontested.
When Zia demanded an election a year later, she was stopped from leaving her party office in the capital city of Dhaka. Bangladeshi security forces locked her doors and banned all protests in the city.
In 2018, she was convicted and found guilty of embezzling about $252,000 which was intended for an orphanage trust set up during her prime minister tenure and was jailed for five years. Though she denied all alligations and said the charges and findings were politically motivated.
A year later, the 73-year-old Zia was transferred to a hospital for treatment of severe arthritis and uncontrolled diabetes. She was subsequently released from prison on health grounds and placed under house confinement.
In 2024, Sheikh Hasina’s government was swept from power amid a wave of popular discontent. Protests against public service employment quotas escalated into mass civilian killings, triggering a furious anti-government uprising.
Hasina fled to India, and the interim government that replaced her ordered Khaleda Zia’s release and the unfreezing of her bank accounts.
By that time, she was overwhelmed by several life-threatening disease including cirrhosis of the liver and kidney damage. On the morning of 30 December, she died in Dhaka.
Just a few days ago her elder son, Tarique Rahman retured from London after 17 years of long exile. He is now seen as the frontrunner for Bangladesh's new prime minister. Arafat Rahman or Koko, her younger son, died in 2015.
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Who Was Khaleda Zia and What She Meant for Bangladesh?
She was the wife of Bangladesh's "Announcer of the Liberation," Ziaur Rahman, also known as the Shaheed President. Who served sixth president of Bangladesh from 1977 to 1981, when he was assassinated. His murder led to the rise of Khaleda Zia in Bangla Desh politics.
She was born in 1945 in Jalpaiguri, which is now part of West Bengal. During the partition of 1947 her family migrated to then called East Pakistan (Now Bangladesh). At the age of 15, she married to Ziaur Rahman, who was then a captain in the Pakistan Army.
Khaleda Zia, former Bangladeshi prime minister and archrival of Hasina, dies at 80
Image credit : AP
After the assassination of her husband, Zia found herself campaigning for democracy in 1982 against the military dictatorship of Hussain Muhammad Ershad. She was put under house arrest several times from 1986 to 1990. After the mass uprising of 1990 in Bangladesh and the fall of Ershad's military government, she served as Bangladesh's prime minister three times. First, from March 1991 to February 1996, her second term lasted for only a couple of weeks in 1996 and then her third term from October 2001 to October 2006.
In her term, she introduced a constitutional amendment to reserve 45 seats in the legislature for female MPs. In a country where 70% of women were illiterate, she worked to educate young women. Children were receiving only two years of education on average. She made education mandatory for all and made primary school free.
Khaleda Zia’s Later Political Struggles - A Life Under Siege
From India's Jalpaiguri to Dhaka: Khaleda Zia's noteworthy journey
Image credit : IANS
Once again, a case was filed against Zia in 2011 by the Anti-Corruption Commission, accusing her of using undisclosed income to purchase land which was named a charity after her late Husband Rahman. She was arrested again.
The general election of 2014 was boycotted by her supporters, arguing that the rigging of votes by the Awami League. Aftermath came the widespread arrests of BNP activists and half of the seats in Bangladesh's parliament were elected uncontested.
When Zia demanded an election a year later, she was stopped from leaving her party office in the capital city of Dhaka. Bangladeshi security forces locked her doors and banned all protests in the city.
In 2018, she was convicted and found guilty of embezzling about $252,000 which was intended for an orphanage trust set up during her prime minister tenure and was jailed for five years. Though she denied all alligations and said the charges and findings were politically motivated.
A year later, the 73-year-old Zia was transferred to a hospital for treatment of severe arthritis and uncontrolled diabetes. She was subsequently released from prison on health grounds and placed under house confinement.
Khaleda Zia, former Bangladeshi prime minister and archrival of Hasina, dies at 80
Image credit : AP
In 2024, Sheikh Hasina’s government was swept from power amid a wave of popular discontent. Protests against public service employment quotas escalated into mass civilian killings, triggering a furious anti-government uprising.
Hasina fled to India, and the interim government that replaced her ordered Khaleda Zia’s release and the unfreezing of her bank accounts.
By that time, she was overwhelmed by several life-threatening disease including cirrhosis of the liver and kidney damage. On the morning of 30 December, she died in Dhaka.
Just a few days ago her elder son, Tarique Rahman retured from London after 17 years of long exile. He is now seen as the frontrunner for Bangladesh's new prime minister. Arafat Rahman or Koko, her younger son, died in 2015.
Explore the latest trends and tips in Health & Fitness, Spiritual, Travel, Life Hacks, Trending, Fashion & Beauty, and Relationships at Times Life!