Bangladesh Mourns Loss of First Female PM Khaleda Zia at 80
The country has lost one of its most significant and divisive figures since independence, with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) announcing the death of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia on Tuesday morning. Zia, who was 80, had a long history of opposing military rule and was known for her uncompromising stance against authoritarianism.
Zia's rise to power began in 1991, after her husband Ziaur Rahman's assassination in 1981. She remained in office until 1996 and again from 2001 until she was toppled by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 1996. The two women have been locked in a fierce political rivalry that spanned over three decades.
Zia's time in power was marked by accusations of corruption, which led to her conviction and imprisonment in 2018 for 10 years on corruption charges. Despite this, she continued to campaign for the BNP, calling for free and fair elections in 2026.
In recent months, Zia's health began to decline significantly, with her serving time under house arrest until the fall of Prime Minister Hasina in a mass uprising in 2024. After her release from house arrest, Zia was allowed to travel abroad for medical treatment, but her condition continued to deteriorate.
Zia is expected to be buried on Wednesday in Dhaka, alongside her husband. Her son Tarique Rahman has returned to Bangladesh to contest the upcoming elections as a frontrunner for the BNP. The opposition views this as an opportunity to revive their chances of winning power.
Former Prime Minister Muhammad Yunus released a statement calling Zia a "symbol of the democratic movement", acknowledging her role in fighting against military rule and authoritarianism. With Zia's passing, Bangladesh marks the end of an era in its complex history of politics and democracy.
The country has lost one of its most significant and divisive figures since independence, with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) announcing the death of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia on Tuesday morning. Zia, who was 80, had a long history of opposing military rule and was known for her uncompromising stance against authoritarianism.
Zia's rise to power began in 1991, after her husband Ziaur Rahman's assassination in 1981. She remained in office until 1996 and again from 2001 until she was toppled by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 1996. The two women have been locked in a fierce political rivalry that spanned over three decades.
Zia's time in power was marked by accusations of corruption, which led to her conviction and imprisonment in 2018 for 10 years on corruption charges. Despite this, she continued to campaign for the BNP, calling for free and fair elections in 2026.
In recent months, Zia's health began to decline significantly, with her serving time under house arrest until the fall of Prime Minister Hasina in a mass uprising in 2024. After her release from house arrest, Zia was allowed to travel abroad for medical treatment, but her condition continued to deteriorate.
Zia is expected to be buried on Wednesday in Dhaka, alongside her husband. Her son Tarique Rahman has returned to Bangladesh to contest the upcoming elections as a frontrunner for the BNP. The opposition views this as an opportunity to revive their chances of winning power.
Former Prime Minister Muhammad Yunus released a statement calling Zia a "symbol of the democratic movement", acknowledging her role in fighting against military rule and authoritarianism. With Zia's passing, Bangladesh marks the end of an era in its complex history of politics and democracy.
... Khaleda Zia was a force to be reckoned with, you know? I mean, she went from being a wife of a military ruler to becoming one herself, and then she even had the guts to take on Sheikh Hasina in a battle for power. It's crazy to think about how far her legacy is going to stretch, considering all the drama that came with it 
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. I wonder what's next for Tarique Rahman and the BNP; will they be able to bring about change, or is it just more of the same old politics? And how will Sheikh Hasina move forward without her biggest rival out of the picture?
. She may not have been perfect, but you gotta respect the fact that she stood up for what she believed in, even if it meant going against the grain 
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khaleda zia was quite the character - all about being stubborn and refusing to back down 
i mean, it's not like she had a hand in some pretty sketchy stuff or anything... 10 yrs in prison for corruption? yeah okay 
still managed to keep on trucking with her party and whatnot. i guess you could say she was a symbol of the democratic movement... for those who love watching power struggles between women 
hope her son tarique does the country some good, lol like that's gonna happen 
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. my grandma used to talk about the country's struggle for independence all the time, and i always wondered what zia would have done differently if she were still alive 
Khaleda Zia is one of those names that commands respect, even if you don't agree with her views. Her fight against military rule was so underrated 
. She may have had her flaws (who doesn't?), but she was a true leader who never gave up on democracy. The rivalry between her and Sheikh Hasina was epic 
, I'm just glad we got to see both strong women in politics. RIP Khaleda Zia 
, your legacy will live on 
I'm thinking about Khaleda Zia's life and legacy... she was a true fighter for democracy & freedom in Bangladesh 
It's crazy to think that her time in power was marked by controversy, but still, she never gave up on her vision of a free & fair society 
That's the kind of strength & resilience we need more of in politics 
And now, Tarique Rahman is taking the reins... that's gonna be interesting to watch 
. She paved her own path, defied the odds, and never backed down from a fight 
. I'm literally shook by the thought of not having her voice in politics anymore 
. Can you believe she's been locked up for 10 yrs due to corruption accusations? 
. Anywayz, it's gonna be tough for Bangladesh to move on from this legend 
. My BNP vibes are strong rn 
I'm not gonna sugarcoat it, 80 is old for someone with that kind of influence, you know? The whole country's gonna be buzzing about this, especially with her son taking over the BNP... 
What's next? A special dispensation for the politicians who really need it? 
how's gonna affect the country? I don't know man, still skeptical 'bout all these politicians and their promises 
It's interesting to see how she continued to campaign even after being convicted and imprisoned... that takes a lot of courage 
I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that we just lost our first female PM Khaleda Zia 
her conviction for corruption was super rough but at least she kept speaking out against military rule and authoritarianism 
So sad to hear about Khaleda Zia's passing... she was such a big figure in Bangladeshi politics 
how did two women who were basically on opposite sides of the spectrum be able to have a daughter like Tarique Rahman tho? 
. And now Tarique Rahman is back in the game? That's gonna be interesting 
my mom was always saying how much she hated zia for all the corruption scandals but now that shes dead i feel kinda bad for her fam 
. Her son Tarique Rahman might try to capitalize on this though 
. it's sad that her health issues came at such a crucial time, i mean, all this hubbub about elections now... 
guess we'll just have to wait and see how the bnp does under tarique's leadership 
Only time'll tell