Khaleda Zia
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Begum Khaleda Zia, born Khaleda Khanam Putul on August 15, 1946, and passing on December 30, 2025, was a towering figure in Bangladeshi politics. She served as the nation's Prime Minister twice, first from 1991 to 1996, and again from 2001 to 2006. This made her the first female Prime Minister of Bangladesh and the second in the Muslim world, following Benazir Bhutto. She was also the wife of the former President and army commander, Ziaur Rahman, and from 1984 onwards, she chaired and led the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, the BNP.
Born into a Bengali Muslim family in Jalpaiguri in 1946, Khaleda Zia's life was deeply intertwined with the history of her nation. During the Liberation War of Bangladesh, after her husband joined the Mukti Bahini, she and her sons were detained by Pakistani forces. Following her husband's assassination in 1981, she stepped into the political arena, becoming the leader of the BNP in 1984. Alongside Sheikh Hasina, she was instrumental in the pro-democracy movement against Hussain Muhammad Ershad, boycotting elections in 1986 and 1988, earning a reputation as an "uncompromising leader." Their collective efforts culminated in the 1990 mass uprising.
Zia's first premiership, following the BNP's victory in the 1991 election, introduced significant educational, economic, and administrative reforms. Her party also formed a brief government after the controversial 1996 election. Her second tenure, from 2001 to 2006, saw Bangladesh experience growth in GDP, foreign investment, and female literacy. Her government championed a "Look East" foreign policy, strengthening ties with East and Southeast Asian nations.
Her second premiership concluded amidst a political crisis and a military takeover in 2007. Subsequently, Zia and her two sons faced corruption charges. While her party lost the 2008 election, and boycotted the 2014 election, leading to another political crisis, Zia was sentenced to 17 years in prison for corruption in 2018. However, she was acquitted of all charges in 2024, following the July Revolution, and was released by presidential order. After years of prolonged illness, Begum Khaleda Zia passed away on December 30, 2025, at a hospital and was honored with a state funeral.
Khaleda Khanam, known as "Putul," was born in 1946 in Jalpaiguri, Bengal Province, British India. She was the third of five children of Iskandar Ali Majumder, a tea businessman, and Taiyaba Majumder. The family migrated to Dinajpur in East Bengal, Pakistan, after the Partition of India in 1947. Describing herself as "self-educated," she attended Dinajpur Missionary School and later Dinajpur Girls' School. In 1960, she married Ziaur Rahman, then a captain in the Pakistan Army, changing her name to Khaleda Zia. She briefly attended Surendranath College before moving to West Pakistan with her husband in 1965. Returning to East Pakistan in 1969, the family eventually settled in Chittagong due to her husband's army postings.
Her first son, Tarique Rahman, born in 1967, became involved in politics and eventually the acting chairman of the BNP. Her second son, Arafat Rahman, born in 1969, passed away in 2015. Zia's sister, Khurshid Jahan, served as the Minister of Women and Children Affairs, and her younger brother, Sayeed Iskander, was a Member of Parliament.
During the Bangladesh Liberation War, Khaleda Zia arrived in Dhaka in May 1971 with her two children. Her presence was discovered by Pakistani soldiers, and she was relocated multiple times before being arrested by Pakistani occupation forces on July 2, 1971. She and her children were detained in a room in the old Parliament building, then moved to a house in Dhaka Cantonment, where she remained until her release on December 16, 1971. Her husband, Ziaur Rahman, wrote a letter about her detention, which reached Major General Jamshed. After the Pakistani Army's surrender, Zia and her sons were flown to Shamshernagar and then moved to Comilla Cantonment with Ziaur Rahman. In 1977, her husband became President, and she served as the First Lady. Tragically, Ziaur Rahman was assassinated on May 30, 1981. Two years later, on January 2, 1982, she entered politics, becoming a member of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, founded by her husband.
In March 1982, Hussain Muhammad Ershad, the Chief of the Army Staff, seized power, initiating a nine-year military regime. From the outset, Khaleda Zia vehemently protested military rule, maintaining an uncompromising stance. By May 1983, she was the senior vice-president of the BNP. Under her leadership, the BNP formed a '7-party alliance' in September 1983 to launch a unified movement against Ershad. She led significant public rallies and demonstrations, including the "Gherao movement" against the Secretariat, which resulted in her house arrest.
On January 13, 1984, following Justice Abdus Sattar's resignation, Zia assumed the leadership of the BNP and was elected its chairperson in May 1984. She spearheaded the anti-Ershad movement, declaring "Demand Day" and "Protest Day" in 1984. The 7-party alliance organized nationwide protests, including a 'Mass Resistance Day' and demonstrations, leading to clashes with police and further house arrests.
In an effort to deflect political pressure, Ershad announced elections in 1986. While the BNP and Awami League initially considered a joint boycott, the Awami League ultimately participated. Khaleda Zia, however, declared the election illegal and urged resistance, solidifying her image as an "uncompromising leader." Her unwavering opposition to the military dictatorship garnered significant public admiration. She was again placed under house arrest on the eve of the 1986 presidential election.
From 1986 to 1990, Zia was repeatedly placed under house arrest by Ershad's military government, often just before key political events. She continued to initiate movements to depose Ershad, calling for strikes and rallies, often met with violent suppression and arrests of BNP leaders. In collaboration with Sheikh Hasina's Awami League, they declared the "Dhaka Seize" program in 1987, aiming to overthrow Ershad. Despite widespread chaos and casualties, Zia, coordinating the movement from Purbani Hotel, was arrested but released shortly after, vowing to "die" to depose the dictator.
The student wing of the BNP, Chatra Dal, gained significant traction by winning most student union elections by 1990, fueled by Zia's popularity. This success, coupled with the death of a Chatra Dal leader in clashes with pro-government forces, paved the way for a broader alliance. After months of sustained protests, the BNP, led by Zia, and other political parties successfully compelled Ershad to resign on December 4, 1990.
Begum Khaleda Zia served as Prime Minister of Bangladesh three times. Her first term spanned from March 1991 to February 1996, followed by a brief second term, and her third term from October 2001 to October 2006. She is particularly remembered for her commitment to making education accessible and for introducing crucial economic reforms.
Following eight years of Ershad's presidency, a neutral caretaker government oversaw the February 27, 1991, general election. The BNP secured 140 seats, falling just short of a majority. Khaleda Zia was sworn in as the country's first female Prime Minister on March 20, 1991, with parliamentary support. The acting president granted her significant powers, effectively restoring Bangladesh to a parliamentary system. In August 1991, the 12th amendment to the constitution formally ended 16 years of presidential rule.
During her first premiership, Zia championed educational reforms. She made primary education free and mandatory for all, and education free for girls up to the 10th grade. The education budget saw a substantial 60% increase in 1994, the highest allocation among formal budget sectors. These policies led to a significant rise in SSC examination pass rates, particularly for female students.
Economically, her government introduced value-added tax (VAT), enacted the Bank Company Act in 1991 and the Financial Institutions Act in 1993, and established a privatization board in 1993. A new export processing zone was created near Dhaka in 1993 to attract foreign investors. Administratively, a law was passed allowing direct election of city corporation mayors, and the upazila system was abolished in November 1991, replaced by a two-tier system of local government.
When the opposition boycotted the February 15, 1996 election, Zia's BNP achieved a landslide victory in the 6th Jatiya Sangshad. To address demands for a neutral caretaker government, the parliament swiftly passed the 13th amendment to the constitution. However, the parliament was dissolved for early elections. In the June 12, 1996 elections, the BNP lost to Sheikh Hasina's Awami League, but emerged as the largest opposition party with 116 seats.
The BNP formed a four-party alliance on January 6, 1999, including the Jatiya Party and Islamic parties like Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, to enhance its chances in the upcoming general elections. Despite criticism for allying with Jamaat-e-Islami, the alliance won two-thirds of the parliamentary seats in the October 1, 2001, general election. Khaleda Zia was sworn in as Prime Minister.
Her government focused on a 100-day program to fulfill election pledges. During this term, domestic resources played a larger role in economic development, and Bangladesh attracted increased international investment. Law and order was a notable achievement. In foreign policy, Zia promoted neighborly relations and a "look-east policy," bolstering regional cooperation and adherence to human rights. She negotiated international dispute settlements and renounced the use of force. Bangladesh began participating in UN peacekeeping efforts. In 2006, Forbes magazine highlighted her administration's achievements. Her government worked to educate young girls and alleviate poverty, promoting strong GDP growth based on economic reforms and entrepreneurial culture.
During her third term, Bangladesh's GDP growth rate consistently exceeded 6 percent, per capita national income rose to $482, and foreign exchange reserves crossed $3 billion. Foreign direct investment reached $2.5 billion, and the industrial sector's contribution to GDP exceeded 17 percent. However, Bangladesh was also ranked as the most corrupt country in the world by the Corruption Perceptions Index during her tenure.
On October 29, 2006, Zia's term ended, and a caretaker government was to manage the interim period before elections. Rioting erupted due to uncertainty over the chief adviser's appointment. President Iajuddin Ahmed assumed power as Chief Adviser, attempting to arrange elections amidst months of violence. Despite negotiations, the Awami League withdrew from the planned January 22, 2007, elections at the last minute. In January, the military intervened, extending the caretaker government's tenure until general elections in December 2008. Overall, the BNP's 2001-2006 term saw significant economic growth, poverty reduction, and Bangladesh emerging as an economic stronghold in South Asia.
Fakhruddin Ahmed became the chief adviser to the interim caretaker government on January 12, 2007. In March, Zia's eldest son, Tarique Rahman, was arrested for corruption. Under a state of emergency, politicians were barred from visiting Zia's residence. Her other son, Arafat Rahman, was arrested on April 16. Reports suggested Zia had agreed to go into exile, but this was complicated by Saudi Arabia's reluctance to accept her. On April 22, the High Court ruled against her confinement, and restrictions on both Zia and Sheikh Hasina were lifted on April 25.
On July 17, the Anti-Corruption Commission requested asset details from both Zia and Hasina. Zia was summoned to court in connection with a case for not submitting service returns for Daily Dinkal Publications Limited. On September 2, corruption charges were filed against Zia related to awarding contracts in 2003. She was arrested on September 3 and detained in a makeshift prison on the parliament building premises. She expelled party leaders for breaching discipline, and BNP standing committee members chose Saifur Rahman and Hafizuddin Ahmed to lead the party, with Hafizuddin's faction being recognized by the Election Commission. Zia's court challenge was rejected on April 10, 2008. She was released on bail on September 11, 2008, after a yearlong detention.
In the December 2008 elections, Zia's party lost to the Awami League and its Grand Alliance, which secured a two-thirds majority. Sheikh Hasina became Prime Minister, and Zia assumed the role of opposition leader.
Zia's family had resided for 38 years in a house at 6 Shaheed Mainul Road in Dhaka Cantonment, her husband's official residence. After his assassination, the house was leased to her for life for a nominal fee. In April 2009, the Directorate of Military Lands and Cantonments served Zia with a notice to vacate the cantonment residence, citing violations of allotment conditions, including political activity from the house and civilian residency within a cantonment. She vacated the house on November 13, 2010, and moved to her brother's residence in Gulshan.
In late 2012, Zia undertook significant foreign visits. In August, she met with Saudi Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to discuss bilateral ties and promote better access for Bangladeshi migrant workers. In October, she visited China at the government's invitation, meeting with leaders including then Vice President Xi Jinping to discuss trade and prospective Chinese investment, particularly the financing of the Padma Bridge. At the beginning of 2012, the World Bank had withdrawn its funding for the bridge due to allegations of graft. During her China visit, the BNP announced confirmed Chinese funding for a second Padma Bridge. On October 28, 2012, Zia visited India, meeting with President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Discussions focused on bilateral trade and regional security. Her visit was noteworthy, as the BNP had been perceived as more India-averse than its rival, the Awami League. In her meeting with Prime Minister Singh, Zia expressed her party's desire to work with India for mutual benefit, including combating extremism, and Indian officials announced an agreement to pursue a common geopolitical doctrine to discourage terrorists.
The BNP maintained its stance of not participating in the 2014 Bangladeshi general election unless it was administered under a nonpartisan caretaker government, a demand rejected by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The Awami League won the election with 232 seats, and voter turnout was reportedly around 22 percent. In 2016, Zia retained her position as chairperson of the BNP. In 2017, police raided her house searching for "anti-state" documents.
On July 3, 2008, during the caretaker government's rule, the ACC filed a graft case accusing Zia and others of misappropriating over Tk 2.1 crore from a foreign bank grant for orphans. The case alleged that a grant was transferred to the Prime Minister's Orphanage Fund, created by Zia, as part of an embezzlement scheme. Money was later transferred to bank accounts of other accused individuals. On February 8, 2018, during the Awami League government's tenure, Zia was sentenced to five years in prison for this case. Mobile phone jammers were installed at the court premises, and her party alleged political bias in the verdict. She was sent to the Old Dhaka Central Jail as the sole inmate. On February 11, 2018, she was directed to be provided first-class division. On October 31, 2018, the High Court increased her jail term to 10 years.
In another case, the Zia Charitable Trust graft case, on October 30, 2018, Zia was sentenced to 7 years of rigorous imprisonment. She faced accusations in 32 other cases, including the Gatco graft case, the Niko graft case, and the Barapukuria Coalmine graft case. Her nomination papers for the 2018 general election were rejected due to her conviction for criminal offenses involving moral turpitude. Her party lost the election to the Awami League.
Zia was admitted to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University for treatment on April 1, 2019. Her bail pleas on humanitarian grounds were rejected by the High Court and Supreme Court a total of four times. On March 25, 2020, she was released from prison for six months, with the condition of staying at her home and not leaving the country. This release term was extended four times by 2021. After the fall of the Hasina government, she was acquitted in several cases. On November 27, 2024, she was acquitted in the Charitable Trust graft and Barapukuria graft cases. On January 15, 2025, she was acquitted in the orphanage trust graft case.
Following Sheikh Hasina's ousting as Prime Minister during the 2024 non-cooperation movement, President Mohammed Shahabuddin ordered Zia's release on August 5. She made her first public statements since 2018, praising the people and urging restraint and the need for "love and peace" in rebuilding Bangladesh. On August 13, her police escort privileges were restored. On August 19, her bank accounts, frozen since 2007, were ordered unblocked. In 2025, Zia stated her intention to contest the 2026 general election, announcing candidacies for multiple seats. However, it was also announced that the BNP's election campaign would be led by her son, Tarique.
Begum Khaleda Zia had been suffering from chronic kidney conditions, decompensated liver diseases, unstable hemoglobin, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and other age-related complications since 2021. In April 2021, she contracted COVID-19 but recovered. On November 28, a medical board announced she was suffering from liver cirrhosis, and a plea for her to seek treatment abroad was denied. She underwent treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka during various periods in 2021. On January 7, 2025, she traveled to London for medical treatment aboard a special air ambulance sent by the Emir of Qatar and was admitted to The London Clinic. On November 23, 2025, she was hospitalized in "very critical" condition at Evercare Hospital Dhaka. On December 1, 2025, the government declared her a VVIP and deployed the Special Security Force for her security. On December 30, 2025, the BNP announced her death due to prolonged illness at Evercare Hospital. She was buried the following day beside her husband's grave at Zia Udyan, following a state funeral.
The country's interim leader, Muhammad Yunus, expressed "profound sorrow" and declared three days of state mourning. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered "sincerest condolences." Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif described Zia as a "committed friend of Pakistan." The US embassy in Dhaka and Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu also extended their condolences. Foreign dignitaries present at the funeral included representatives from Pakistan, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the Republic of Maldives.
A point of controversy in Bangladeshi politics was Zia's claimed birthday of August 15, the same day members of Sheikh Hasina's father's family were killed in 1971, leading to the day being declared National Mourning Day. None of Zia's government-issued identification documents listed her birthday as August 15; her matriculation certificate indicated August 9, 1945, her marriage certificate September 5, 1945, and her passport August 5, 1946. A political ally urged her not to celebrate her birthday on August 15. A case was filed against her in 2016 for allegedly tarnishing the reputation of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family, but she was acquitted in 2024.
In recognition of her contributions, on May 24, 2011, the New Jersey State Senate honored Zia as a "Fighter for Democracy." Later, on July 31, 2018, the Canadian Human Rights International Organization awarded her the "Mother of Democracy" award.
Several educational institutions bear her name, including Begum Khaleda Zia Hall at Islamic University, Kushtia; Deshnetri Begum Khaleda Zia Hall at the University of Chittagong; Begum Khaleda Zia Hall at Jahangirnagar University; and Begum Khaleda Zia Hall at the University of Rajshahi.
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Begum Khaleda Zia (born Khaleda Khanam Putul; 15 August 1946 – 30 December 2025) was a Bangladeshi politician who served as the prime minister of Bangladesh from 1991 to 1996 and again from 2001 to 2006. She was the first female prime minister of Bangladesh and the second female prime minister in the Muslim world after Benazir Bhutto. She was the wife of the former president of Bangladesh and army commander, Ziaur Rahman. She was the chairperson and leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) from 1984 onwards.
Zia was born into a Bengali Muslim family in 1946 in Jalpaiguri. During the Liberation War of Bangladesh, after her husband joined the Mukti Bahini, she, along with her sons, was detained by the Pakistani Forces. After her husband's assassination in 1981, Zia became active in politics and became the leader of the BNP in 1984. She and her party played a leading role in the pro-democracy movement against Hussain Muhammad Ershad. They boycotted the 1986 and 1988 general elections, thus securing the reputation of an "uncompromising leader". She, along with Sheikh Hasina, helped lead the 1990 mass uprising.
Zia's first premiership followed the BNP victory in the 1991 general election, and saw the introduction of educational, economic, and administrative reforms. Her party also formed a short-lived government after the controversial February 1996 election, which was boycotted by the opposition. During her second premiership, which began with her party's victory in the 2001 election and lasted until 2006, Bangladesh witnessed growth in GDP, foreign investment and female literacy. Her government pushed a Look East foreign policy, strengthening the country's relations with East and Southeast Asian countries.
Her second premiership concluded during a a political crisis and resulting military takeover in 2007. The military-backed caretaker government charged Zia and her two sons with corruption. Her party lost the 2008 election to Sheikh Hasina's Awami League, and boycotted the 2014 election, creating another political crisis in 2015. In 2018, Zia was sentenced to a total of 17 years in prison for corruption. However, she was acquitted of all charges in 2024, following the July Revolution, and was released upon a presidential order. After years of prolonged illness, Zia died on 30 December 2025 in a hospital and was given a state funeral.
== Background ==
=== Early life and education ===
Khaleda Khanam "Putul" was born in 1946 in Jalpaiguri in Bengal Province, British India (now in West Bengal, India) to a Bengali Muslim family from Fulgazi, in present-day Bangladesh. She was the third of five children of tea businessman father Iskandar Ali Majumder, who was from Feni, and mother Taiyaba Majumder, who was from Chandbari village in Itahar in West Dinajpur (now in West Bengal, India). According to Iskander Ali, the family migrated to Dinajpur in East Bengal, Pakistan after the Partition of Bengal in 1947. Khaleda described herself as "self-educated", and there are no records of her graduating from high school; initially, she attended Dinajpur Missionary School and later Dinajpur Girls' School. In 1960, she married Ziaur Rahman, then a captain in the Pakistan Army. After marriage, she changed her name to Khaleda Zia by taking her husband's first name as her surname. She reportedly enrolled in Surendranath College in Dinajpur but moved to West Pakistan to stay with her husband in 1965. Her husband was deployed as an army officer during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. In March 1969, the couple shifted back to East Pakistan. Due to Rahman's posting in the army, the family then moved to Chittagong.
=== Family ===
Zia's first son, Tarique "Pinu" Rahman (b. 1967), got involved in politics and went on to become the acting chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. Her second son, Arafat "Koko" Rahman (b. 1969), died of a cardiac arrest in 2015. Zia's sister, Khurshid Jahan (1939–2006), served as the Minister of Women and Children Affairs during 2001–2006. Her younger brother, Sayeed Iskander (1953–2012), was also a politician who served as a Jatiya Sangsad member from the Feni-1 constituency during 2001–2006. Her second brother, Shamim Iskandar, is a retired flight engineer of Bangladesh Biman. Her second sister is Selina Islam.
== Bangladesh Liberation War ==
Zia arrived in Dhaka from Chittagong on 16 May 1971. She arrived by launch in Narayanganj in the evening with her two children, Tarique Rahman and Arafat Rahman, and the wife of Colonel Mahfuz. From there, her elder sister, Khurshid Jahan, and her sister's husband, Mozammel Haque, took them to their house in Khilgaon, Dhaka, in a jeep. This news also spread in just 10 days through intelligence activities. On 26 May, her brother-in-law, Mozammel Haque, learned that the Pakistani soldiers had found out about her location. Her brother-in-law, Mozammel Haque, relocated Zia and her two sons, Arafat and Tarique, to another place on 28 May, and they moved again on 3 June. Then, from an unknown address, Zia's wife started living in the Siddheshwari house of SK Abdullah, deputy director of the Geological Survey Department. Begum Zia remained in that house until she was arrested by the Pakistani occupation forces on the morning of 2 July.
After her arrest, Zia and her two children were kept in a room in the old Parliament building. From there, they were taken to a house inside the Dhaka Cantonment. She was detained there until the first week of December 1971. She was released on the morning of 16 December.
On 21 August 1971, Ziaur Rahman wrote a letter about his wife. The then Pakistani Army Major General Jamshed was in GHQ Dhaka of the Eastern Command. She was detained under him. When Rahman was working in the Punjab Regiment of West Pakistan, Jamshed was his commander. Zia's letter was posted by Shafayat Jamil from the 'occupied' area and reached Major General Jamshed.
After the Pakistani Army surrendered, Zia and her two sons were taken by plane from Dhaka to Shamshernagar in Sylhet. General Arora made the arrangements at the request of Ziaur Rahman. Major Chowdhury Khalequzzaman and Captain Oli Ahmed received them at the Shamshernagar airport and took them to a local rest house. After a very short time in Shamshernagar, Zia and their two sons went to Comilla Cantonment with Ziaur Rahman. In 1977, her husband became the country's president, with Zia serving has first lady. On 30 May 1981, Zia's husband, Ziaur Rahman, was assassinated. After his death, on 2 January 1982, she got involved in politics by first becoming a member of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) – the party that was founded by Rahman.
== Anti-Ershad movement ==
In March 1982, the then chief of the Bangladesh Army, Hussain Muhammad Ershad, launched a coup against BNP politician and President Abdus Sattar and became the Chief Martial Law Administrator (CMLA) of the country. This marked the beginning of a nine-year-long military regime in Bangladesh.
=== BNP and 7-party alliance ===
Zia, from the first day of Ershad's rule, protested military rule and had a very uncompromising stance. She became the senior vice-president of the BNP by May 1983. Under her active leadership, the BNP started discussing the possibilities of a unified movement with six other parties on 12 August 1983 and formed a '7-party alliance' by the first week of September 1983. The BNP, led by Zia, also reached an action-based agreement with other political parties to launch a movement against Ershad.
On 30 September 1983, Zia led the first major public rally in front of the party office and was hailed by the party workers. On 28 November 1983, she took part in the "Gherao movement" (encircling) the Secretariat building at Dhaka along with the alliance leaders, which was quelled by Ershad's police force, and she was put under house arrest on the same day.
Due to the deteriorating health conditions, Justice Abdus Sattar resigned from the position of BNP chief on 13 January 1984 and was replaced by Zia, who was then the senior vice president of the party. In May 1984, she was elected as the chairperson of the party in a council by councillors.
After assuming the position of party chief, Zia spearheaded the movement against Ershad. In 1984, along with other parties, she declared 6 February as the 'Demand Day' and 14 February as 'Protest Day'. Countrywide rallies were organized on those days, and activists of the movement died on the streets fighting the ruthless police force loyal to President Ershad.
The 7-party alliance held a countrywide 'Mass Resistance Day' on 9 July 1984. In support of their demand for the immediate withdrawal of martial law, the opposition forces called for a countrywide gherao and demonstrations from 16 to 20 September and a full-day hartal on 27 September 1984.
The protests continued in 1985 as well, and as a result, in March of the same year, the Ershad-led government tightened the grip of martial law and put Zia under house arrest.
=== Boycotting the 1986 election ===
To divert the political pressure, Lt. General Ershad declared a date for a fresh election in 1986. Initially, the two major opposition alliances, the '7-party alliance' led by the BNP and the '15-party alliance' led by the Awami League, discussed the possibilities of participating in the election, forming a greater election alliance to catch Ershad off guard. However, the Awami League refused to form any election alliance, and Sheikh Hasina, in a public rally on 19 March 1986, declared that anyone who would join the election under Ershad would be a 'national traitor'.
However, Sheikh Hasina's Awami League, along with the Communist Party of Bangladesh and six other parties, joined the election under Ershad, resulting in the split between the 15-party alliance. On the other hand, Zia uncompromisingly declared the election illegal and urged people to resist the election. The parties took part in the election lost to the Jatiya Party.
Zia's uncompromising attitude and her defiance of the military dictatorship created an image of an "uncompromising leader" in the eyes of the people. Gowher Rizvi, in his analysis, wrote:
The ability to stand up against governmental oppression, to boycott elections, to refuse offices of profit, or to suffer imprisonment are considered evidence of personal sacrifices something which is greatly admired by the people of a country where politics is generally an unabashed pursuit of power and personal aggrandizement. From the moment Khaleda was installed as the leader of the BNP, she has publicly remained opposed to participation in any election held while Ershad was in power. Her popularity soared after she boycotted the polls in 1986.
Later in that year, on the eve of the 1986 Bangladeshi presidential election, Zia was put under house arrest once again.
=== Fall of Ershad ===
Zia was put under house arrest multiple times from 1986 to 1990 by Ershad's military government.
On 13 October 1986, she was put under house arrest right before the 1986 Bangladeshi presidential election and was released only after the election. She took the lead on her release and initiated a fresh movement with a view to deposing Ershad. She called a half-day strike on 10 November of the same year, only to be put under house arrest again.
On 24 January 1987, when Sheikh Hasina joined the parliament session with other Awami League leaders, Zia was on the street demanding the dissolution of the parliament. She called for a mass rally in Dhaka, which turned violent, and top leaders of the BNP were arrested. After that, a series of strikes was organized by the 7-party alliance led by Zia from February to July 1987. On 22 October of the year, Zia's BNP, in collaboration with Sheikh Hasina's Awami League, declared the "Dhaka Seize" programme on 10 November to overthrow Ershad.
As a countermeasure, Ershad's government rounded up thousands of political leaders and activists, but on the day of the seizure, there was complete chaos on the streets, and dozens died. The government put Zia under house arrest after detaining her from Purbani Hotel, from where she was coordinating the movement. On 11 December 1987, she was set free, but she immediately held a press conference and claimed that she was "prepared to die" to depose the dictator.
After an eventful 1987, the two following years went relatively calmly with sporadic violence. A fresh wave of movements started when the BNP's student wing, Chatra Dal, started winning most of the student union elections across the country. By 1990, Chatra Dal took control of 270 out of 321 student unions in the country, riding on the popularity of Zia. They also won all the posts of Dhaka University Central Students' Union in 1990. The new committee of DUCSU, led by Amanullah Aman, declared fresh programmes to overthrow Ershad in line with the BNP's programmes. On 10 October 1990, in a violent turn of events, Chatra Dal leader Naziruddin Jehad died in Dhaka in clashes with pro-government forces, which paved the way for a greater alliance between all the opposition forces.
After two-month-long protests, the BNP, led by Zia, along with other political parties, compelled Ershad to offer his resignation on 4 December 1990.
== Premiership ==
Zia served as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh three times. Her first term was from March 1991 to February 1996, the second term lasted for a few weeks after February 1996, and the third term was from October 2001 to October 2006. She was particularly remembered for her role in making education accessible and introducing some key economic reforms.
=== First term (1991–1996) ===
A neutral caretaker government in Bangladesh oversaw elections on 27 February 1991, following eight years of Ershad's presidency. The BNP won 140 seats;– 11 short of a simple majority. Zia was sworn in as the country's first female prime minister on 20 March 1991 with the support of a majority of the deputies in parliament. The acting president, Shahabuddin Ahmed, granted Zia nearly all the powers that were vested in the president at the time, effectively returning Bangladesh to a parliamentary system. With a unanimous vote, the parliament passed the 12th amendment to the constitution in August 1991, formally ending 16 years of presidential rule.
==== Educational reforms ====
When Zia took charge in 1991, Bangladeshi children received about two years of education on average, and for every three boys, one girl was studying in the same classroom. Zia promoted education and vocational training very radically. Her government made primary education free and mandatory for all. Education was made free for girls until the 10th grade.
To fund implementation of new reforms and policies, in 1994, the education budget was increased by 60%, the highest allocation among the formal budget sectors.
In 1990, only 31.73% of students passed the SSC examination, and the rate was 30.11% for females. In 1995, thanks to her policies, 73.2% of students passed the SSC examination, and among the female students, 71.58% passed.
==== Economic reforms ====
Some of the major economic reforms marked Zia's first government, which included the introduction of value-added tax (VAT), the formulation of the Bank Company Act in 1991 and the Financial Institutions Act in 1993, and the establishment of the privatization board in 1993.
A new export processing zone was established near Dhaka in 1993 to attract foreign investors.
==== Administrative reforms ====
The first Zia government, to address popular demand, passed a law to allow the mayors of city corporations to be elected directly by the voters. Before that, the elected ward councillors of each ward of the city corporation used to elect the mayor of the city.
Zia's administration abolished the upazila system in November 1991. It formed the Local Government Structure Review Commission, which recommended a two-tier system of local government: district and union councils. Also, the Thana Development and Coordination Committee was formed to coordinate development activities at the thana level.
=== Second term and defeat (1996) ===
When the opposition boycotted the 15 February 1996 election, Zia's party, the BNP, had a landslide victory in the 6th Jatiya Sangshad. Other major parties demanded a neutral caretaker government be appointed to oversee the elections. The short-lived parliament hastily introduced the caretaker government by passing the 13th amendment to the constitution. The parliament was dissolved to pave the way for early parliamentary elections.
In the 12 June 1996 elections, the BNP lost to Sheikh Hasina's Awami League. Winning 116 seats, the BNP emerged as the largest opposition party in the country's parliamentary history.
=== Third term (2001–2006) ===
The BNP formed a four-party alliance on 6 January 1999 to increase its chances of returning to power in the next general elections. These included its former political foe, the Jatiya Party, and the Islamic parties such as Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh and Islami Oikya Jote. It encouraged protests against the Awami League.
Many residents strongly criticized Zia and the BNP for allying with Jamaat-e-Islami. The four-party alliance participated in the 1 October 2001 general elections, winning two-thirds of the seats in parliament and 46% of the vote (compared to the principal opposition party's 40%). Zia was sworn in as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh.
She worked on a 100-day programme to fulfil most of her election pledges to the nation. During this term, the share of domestic resources in economic development efforts grew. Bangladesh began to attract a higher level of international investment for the development of the country's infrastructure, energy resources and businesses, including from the United States, Great Britain, and Japan. Restoration of law and order was an achievement during the period.
Zia promoted neighbourly relations in her foreign policy. In her "look-east policy", she worked to bolster regional cooperation in South Asia and adherence to the UN Charter of Human Rights. She negotiated the settlement of international disputes and renounced the use of force in international relations. Bangladesh began to participate in United Nations international peacekeeping efforts. In 2006, Forbes magazine featured her administration in a major story praising her achievements. Her government worked to educate young girls (nearly 70% of Bangladeshi women were illiterate) and distribute food to the poor (half of Bangladesh's 135 million people lived below the poverty line). Her government promoted strong GDP growth (5%) based on economic reforms and support of an entrepreneurial culture.
When Zia became prime minister for the third time, the GDP growth rate of Bangladesh remained above 6 percent. The Bangladesh per capita national income rose to 482 dollars. The foreign exchange reserves of Bangladesh had crossed 3 billion dollars from the previous 1 billion dollars. The foreign direct investments of Bangladesh had risen to 2.5 billion dollars. The industrial sector of the GDP had exceeded 17 percent at the end of Zia's office. At the same time, Bangladesh was the most corrupt country in the world according to Corruption Perceptions Index during her tenure.
On 29 October 2006, Zia's term in office ended. In accordance with the constitution, a caretaker government would manage the 90-day interim before general elections. On the eve of the last day, rioting broke out on the streets of central Dhaka due to uncertainty over who would become chief adviser (head of the Caretaker Government of Bangladesh). Under the constitution, the immediate past chief justice was to be appointed. However, Chief Justice Khondokar Mahmud Hasan (K M Hasan) declined the position. President Iajuddin Ahmed, as provided for in the constitution, assumed power as Chief Adviser on 29 October 2006. He tried to arrange elections and bring all political parties to the table during months of violence; 40 people were killed and hundreds injured in the first month after the government's resignation in November 2006.
Mukhlesur Rahman Chowdhury, the presidential adviser, met with Zia and Sheikh Hasina, and other political parties to try to resolve issues and schedule elections. Negotiations continued against a backdrop of political bickering, protests, and polarisation that threatened the economy. Officially on 26 December 2006, all political parties joined the planned 22 January 2007 elections. The Awami League pulled out at the last minute, and in January, the military intervened to back the caretaker government for a longer interim period. It held power until holding general elections in December 2008.
Overall, the BNP's term between 2001–2006 saw significant growth in the industrial and service sectors of the economy, upliftment of people from poverty, and Bangladesh emerged as an economic stronghold in South Asia.
== Post-premiership (2006–2025) ==
=== Detention during the caretaker government ===
Former Bangladesh Bank governor Fakhruddin Ahmed became the chief adviser to the interim caretaker government on 12 January 2007. In March, Zia's eldest son, Tarique Rahman, was arrested for corruption. Enforcing the suppression of political activity under the state of emergency, from 9 April, the government barred politicians from visiting Zia's residence. Her other son, Arafat Rahman (Coco), was arrested for corruption on 16 April. On 17 April, The Daily Star reported that Zia had agreed to go into exile with Arafat. Her family said the Saudi Arabian government reportedly declined to allow her into the country because "it was reluctant to take in an unwilling guest." Based on an appeal, on 22 April, the High Court issued a ruling for the government to explain that she was not confined to her house. On 25 April, the government lifted restrictions on both Zia and Sheikh Hasina. On 7 May, the Bangladesh High Court ordered the government to explain continuing restrictions on Zia.
On 17 July, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) sent notices to both Zia and Hasina, requesting that details of their assets be submitted to the commission within one week. Zia was asked to appear in court on 27 September in connection with a case for not submitting service returns for Daily Dinkal Publications Limited for years. On 2 September, the government filed charges of corruption against Zia related to the awarding of contracts to Global Agro Trade Company in 2003. She was arrested on 3 September. She was detained in a makeshift prison on the parliament building premises. On the same day, Zia expelled her party Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan and Joint Secretary General Whip Ashraf Hossain for breaching party discipline.
BNP standing committee members chose former Minister of Finance Saifur Rahman and former Minister of Water Resources Hafizuddin Ahmed to lead the party. The Bangladesh Election Commission subsequently invited Hafizuddin's faction, rather than Zia's, to participate in talks, effectively recognizing the former as the legitimate BNP. Zia challenged this in court, but her appeal was rejected on 10 April 2008.
Zia was released on bail on 11 September 2008 from her yearlong detention.
In December 2008, the caretaker government organized general elections where Zia's party lost to the Awami League and its Grand Alliance (with 13 smaller parties), which took a two-thirds majority of seats in the parliament. Sheikh Hasina became the prime minister, and her party formed a government in early 2009. Zia became the opposition leader of the parliament.
=== Eviction from the cantonment house ===
Zia's family had been living for 38 years in the 1.1-hectare (2.72-acre) plot house at 6 Shaheed Mainul Road in Dhaka Cantonment. It was the official residence of her husband, Ziaur Rahman, when he was appointed as the Deputy Chief of Staff (DCS) of the Bangladesh Army. After he became the president of Bangladesh, he kept the house as his residence. Following his assassination in 1981, the acting president, Abdus Sattar, leased the house "for life" to Zia for a nominal ৳101. When the army took over the government in 1983, Hussain Mohammad Ershad confirmed this arrangement.
On 20 April 2009, the Directorate of Military Lands and Cantonments handed Zia a notice asking her to vacate the cantonment residence. Several allegations and irregularities are mentioned in the notice – first, Zia had been carrying out political activities from the house, which went against a condition of the allotment; second, one could not get an allotment of two government houses in the capital; and third, a civilian could not get a resident lease within a cantonment. Zia vacated the house on 13 November 2010. She then moved to the residence of her brother, Sayeed Iskandar, in the Gulshan neighbourhood.
=== Foreign engagements ===
Zia made some high-profile foreign visits in the latter part of 2012. Invited to Saudi Arabia in August by the royal family, she met with the Saudi crown prince and defence minister Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to talk about bilateral ties. She tried to promote better access for Bangladeshi migrant workers to the Saudi labour market, which was in decline at the time. She later went to the People's Republic of China in October, at the invitation of the government. She met with Chinese leaders, including then Vice President Xi Jinping and the head of the International Department of the Chinese Communist Party, Wang Jiarui. Xi became CCP general secretary in 2012. Talks in China related to trade and prospective Chinese investment in Bangladesh, particularly the issue of financing the Padma Bridge. At the beginning of 2012, the World Bank, a major prospective financier, had withdrawn, accusing government ministers of graft. The BNP announced that the Chinese funding for a second Padma Bridge was confirmed during her visit. On 28 October 2012, Zia visited India to meet with President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and several officials, including foreign minister Salman Khurshid, national security adviser Shivshankar Menon, foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai and BJP leader and leader of the opposition Sushma Swaraj. Talks were scheduled to cover bilateral trade and regional security. Zia's India visit was considered notable, as the BNP had been considered to have been anti-India compared to its rival Awami League. At her meeting with Prime Minister Singh, Zia said her party wanted to work with India for mutual benefit, including the fight against extremism. Indian officials announced they had come to an agreement with her to pursue a common geopolitical doctrine in the greater region to discourage terrorists.
=== Boycotting the 2014 election ===
Zia's party took a stance on not participating in the 2014 Bangladeshi general election unless it was administered under a nonpartisan caretaker government, but the then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina rejected the demand. The Bangladesh Awami League, led by Hasina, won the election in 232 seats (out of 300). The official counts from Dhaka suggested that the turnout here averaged about 22 percent.
In 2016, the BNP announced its new National Standing Committee, in which Zia retained her position as the chairperson.
In 2017, the police conducted a raid on Zia's house to search for "anti-state" documents.
=== Charges and imprisonment in 2018 ===
On 3 July 2008, during the 2007–08 caretaker government rule, the ACC had filed a graft case, accusing Zia and five others of misappropriating over Tk 2.1 crore that had come from a foreign bank as grants for orphans. According to the case, on 9 June 1991, a $1.255-million (Tk 4.45-crore) grant was transferred from United Saudi Commercial Bank to the Prime Minister's Orphanage Fund – a fund that was created by then Prime Minister Zia shortly before the transfer of the grant as part of the embezzlement scheme. On 5 September 1993, she issued a Tk 2.33-crore cheque from the Prime Minister's Orphanage Fund to the Zia Orphanage Trust on the pretext of building an orphanage in Bogra. By April 2006, the deposited amount grew to Tk 3.37 crore with accrued interest. In April, June, and July 2006, some of the money was transferred to bank accounts of three other accused – Salimul, Mominur, and Sharfuddin;– through different transactions. On 15 February 2007, Tk 2.10 crore was withdrawn through pay orders from two of the FDR accounts. Zia was accused of misappropriating that money by transferring the amount from a public fund to a private one.
On 8 February 2018, during the Awami League government's rule, Zia was sentenced to prison for five years in that corruption case. Mobile phone jammers were installed at the Bakshibazar court premises ahead of the verdict. Her party claimed that the verdict was politically biased. Zia was sent to the Old Dhaka Central Jail after the verdict. She was imprisoned as the sole inmate at the jail since all the inmates had been transferred to the newly built Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj in 2016. On 11 February 2018, Dhaka Special Judge's Court 5 directed the authorities of Dhaka Central Jail to provide first-class division to Zia. On 31 October 2018, the High Court raised her jail term to 10 years after the ACC pleaded for a revision.
On 30 October 2018, in another case, the Zia Charitable Trust graft case, Zia was sentenced to 7 years of rigorous imprisonment. Khaleda was also accused in 32 other cases, including the Gatco graft case, the Niko graft case, the Barapukuria Coalmine graft case, the Darussalam Police Station cases, the Jatrabari Police Station cases, the Sedition case, the Bomb Attack on Shipping Minister case, the Khulna Arson case, the Comilla Arson case, the Celebrating Fake Birthday case, the Undermining National Flag case, and the Loan Default case.
Zia's nomination papers to contest for the Feni-1, Bogra-6 and Bogra-7 constituencies at the 2018 general election were rejected. She was not able to contest because, according to Article 66(2)(d) of the constitution, "a person shall be disqualified for election as, or for being, a member of parliament who has been, on conviction for a criminal offence involving moral turpitude, sentenced to imprisonment for a term of not less than two years, unless a period of five years has elapsed since his/her release." Her party lost that general election to the Awami League.
Zia was admitted to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University for medical treatment on 1 April 2019. The High Court and the Supreme Court rejected her bail plea on humanitarian grounds a total of four times.
On 25 March 2020, Zia was released from prison for six months, conditioned to stay at her home in Gulshan and not leave the country. The government issued this executive decision as per section 401(1) of the Criminal Code of Procedure (CrPC). By 2021, the term of her release had been extended four times.
After the fall of the Hasina government, she was acquitted in several cases.
On 27 November 2024, Zia was acquitted in the Charitable Trust graft and Barapukuria graft cases.
On 15 January 2025, Zia was acquitted in the orphanage trust graft case.
=== 2024 release ===
After Sheikh Hasina was ousted as prime minister during the 2024 non-cooperation movement, on 5 August, President Mohammed Shahabuddin ordered Zia's release. Shortly afterward, she made her first public statements since 2018 from her medical confinement, during which she praised "the brave people who were in a do-or-die struggle to make possible the impossible" and urged restraint and the need for "love and peace" in rebuilding Bangladesh. On 13 August, the home ministry restored her police escort privileges that had been removed by Sheikh Hasina's government in 2015. On 19 August, Zia's bank accounts, which had been frozen since 2007, were ordered unblocked by the National Board of Revenue.
In 2025, Zia stated that she would contest the 2026 general election, announcing her candidacies for the seats of Bogra-7, Feni-1, and Dinajpur-3. However, it was also announced that the BNP's election campaign would be run under the leadership and image of her son, Tarique.
== Illness and death ==
Zia had been suffering from chronic kidney conditions, decompensated liver diseases, unstable hemoglobin, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and other age-related complications since 2021. In April 2021, several staff members in Zia's home tested positive for COVID-19. Zia was also found to have contracted the virus, but she exhibited no symptoms and recovered later. On 28 November, the medical board formed for Zia's treatment announced that she had been suffering from liver cirrhosis. A plea for her to be allowed to seek medical care abroad was denied by the court. Zia underwent treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka during 27 April–19 June 2021, 12 October–3 November 2021 and again since 14 November 2021. On 9 January 2022, Zia was transferred from the coronary care unit (CCU).
On 7 January 2025, Zia went to London aboard a special air ambulance sent by the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, to seek medical treatment. On 8 January 2025, Zia was admitted to The London Clinic.
On 23 November 2025, Zia was hospitalised in "very critical" condition and was taken to the Evercare Hospital Dhaka. On 1 December 2025, the government declared her a VVIP and deployed the Special Security Force for her security. On 30 December 2025, the BNP announced that Zia died due to her prolonged illness at Evercare Hospital. She was buried the next day beside the grave of her husband, Ziaur Rahman, at Zia Udyan following a state funeral.
=== Reactions ===
The country's interim leader, Muhammad Yunus, expressed "profound sorrow" at her death and declared three days of state mourning. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was "deeply saddened" by Khaleda's death and offered his "sincerest condolences" to her family and the people of Bangladesh. Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep sadness and described Zia as a "committed friend of Pakistan". The US embassy in Dhaka extended its condolences on Zia's death. Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu extended his condolences on her death and prayed to Allah to strengthen her family during the difficult time. Many foreign dignitaries present at the funeral of Khaleda Zia included Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan; D. N. Dhungyel, Foreign Minister of Bhutan; S. Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister of India; Bala Nanda Sharma, Foreign Minister of Nepal; Vijitha Herath, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism of Sri Lanka; and Dr. Ali Haidar Ahmed, Minister of Higher Education, Labour, and Skills Development of the Republic of Maldives.
== Birth date discrepancy ==
Zia claimed 15 August as her birthday, which was a matter of controversy in Bangladeshi politics. 15 August was the day many immediate family members of Zia's political rival, Sheikh Hasina's father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, were killed, in 1971. As a result of the deaths, 15 August was officially declared National Mourning Day of Bangladesh during the Hasina regime. None of Zia's government-issued identification documents show her birthday on 15 August. Her matriculation examination certificate lists a birth date of 9 August 1945. Her marriage certificate lists 5 September 1945. Zia's passport indicates a birth date of 5 August 1946. Kader Siddiqui, a political ally of Zia, urged her not to celebrate her birthday on 15 August.
The High Court filed a petition against Zia on this issue. In 2016, Gazi Zahirul Islam, the former joint general secretary of the Dhaka Union of Journalists, filed a case against Zia over her birthdate, accusing her of seeking to tarnish the reputation of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and family. However, she was acquitted in 2024.
== Electoral history ==
== Awards and honours ==
On 24 May 2011, the New Jersey State Senate honoured Zia as a "Fighter for Democracy". It was the first time the state Senate had so honoured any foreign leader and reflected the state's increasing population of immigrants and descendants from South Asia.
Later, on 31 July 2018, an organization named the Canadian Human Rights International Organization (CHRIO) gave her the "Mother of Democracy" award. On 8 February 2022, the BNP presented the crest and certificate given by this Canadian organization to the journalists in a press conference at the BNP Chairperson's office in Gulshan.
== Eponyms ==
Begum Khaleda Zia Hall, a residential hall at Islamic University, Kushtia.
Deshnetri Begum Khaleda Zia Hall, a residential hall at the University of Chittagong.
Begum Khaleda Zia Hall, a residential hall at Jahangirnagar University.
Begum Khaleda Zia Hall, a residential hall at the University of Rajshahi.
== Bibliography ==
Ullah, Mahfuz (18 November 2018). Begum Khaleda Zia: Her Life Her Story. The Universal Academy. ISBN 978-984-93757-0-8.
S. Abdul Hakim (1992), Begum Khaleda Zia of Bangladesh – A Political Biography, Vikas Publishing House
== See also ==
List of international prime ministerial trips made by Khaleda Zia
== References ==
Footnotes
Citations
== External links ==
"Life Sketch: Begum Khaleda Zia". Permanent Mission of Bangladesh to the United Nations. Archived from the original on 13 January 2009.
Barbara Crossette (17 October 1993). "Conversations: Khaleda Zia; A Woman Leader for a Land That Defies Islamic Stereotypes". The New York Times.
William Green; Alex Perry (10 April 2006). "We Have Arrested So Many". Time. Archived from the original on 13 October 2011.
Alex Perry (3 April 2006). "Rebuilding Bangladesh". Time. Archived from the original on 30 November 2010.
Khaleda Zia at IMDb
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