Published on: Dec 30, 2025 09:01 pm IST
Khaleda Zia was thrust into politics in after the assassination of her husband, military ruler Ziaur Rahman, in 1981
Bangladesh’s first woman prime minister Khaleda Zia, who has died at the age of 80 after prolonged illness, will perhaps be best remembered for her intense and decades-long rivalry with another former PM, Sheikh Hasina, and how this shaped the politics of the two leaders and the path of their country. Khaleda was thrust into politics in after the assassination of her husband, military ruler Ziaur Rahman, in 1981, and played a key role in shaping his Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) into a national force, as well as in the movement against the autocratic rule of another military dictator, Hussain Muhammad Ershad, for which she joined hands with arch-rival Hasina. Khaleda held the post of premier three times and took steps to ensure free education for girls and carried out economic reforms. She became known for her uncompromising approach towards politics, and her death could lead to a sympathy wave for the BNP in Bangladesh’s election scheduled for February 12.
However, Khaleda’s stints in power will also be remembered in India for the strains in bilateral ties. Her third term in the early 2000s was marred by allegations of support for several anti-India militant groups from the northeastern states, which set up bases in southeastern Bangladesh, and the infamous “Chittagong arms haul” case of 2004, when security forces intercepted a huge consignment of arms and ammunition meant for the United Liberation of Asom (ULFA). The Jamaat-e-Islami, which was then part of Khaleda’s government, was also accused of backing radical Islamist forces on both sides of the border. With the BNP expected to emerge as the largest force in the upcoming election, New Delhi will be watching to see the approach of Khaleda’s party towards India under the new leadership of her son Tarique Rahman.
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