Rising from a quiet housewife to Bangladesh’s first female prime minister, Begum Khaleda Zia’s journey is a story of resilience, strategic acumen, and unyielding determination.
While her husband, late president Ziaur Rahman, initially brought her into the public eye, it was her own leadership and perseverance that carved her distinct political identity and secured her enduring place in the nation’s history.
Friday marks the 80th birthday of the former prime minister of Bangladesh. Her political party, the BNP, announced that this year’s birthday will be observed nationwide with special prayers and milad mahfil.
Since 2016, BNP leaders and activists have not been seen cutting cakes on her birthday. Traditionally, she spends the day with family and close associates, and the BNP chairperson’s press wing has confirmed that this year will be no exception.
Early life and education
Born in 1945 in Jalpaiguri, in undivided India, Khaleda Zia’s ancestral home is in Fulgazi upazila of Feni. Her father was Iskandar Majumder, and her mother was Begum Tayeba Majumder. The third of three sisters and two brothers, Khaleda’s birth name was Khaleda Khanam, and her childhood nickname was Putul.
At the age of five, she was admitted to Mission School in Dinajpur and later graduated from Dinajpur Government Girls’ High School in 1960. Journalist Mahfuz Ullah, in his 2018 book Begum Khaleda Zia: Her Life, Her Story, wrote that Khaleda was shy and introverted during her childhood, preferring to spend time with her family and showing little interest in politics.
Marriage and family life
In 1960, she married Captain Ziaur Rahman of the Pakistan Army, becoming known thereafter as Khaleda Zia. The couple had two sons—Tarique Rahman and Arafat Rahman Koko. In 1965, she moved to West Pakistan with her husband and lived in Karachi until March 1969 before returning to Dhaka.
During the Liberation War of 1971, she was kept under house arrest in Dhaka Cantonment by the Pakistani military and was released after Bangladesh’s independence on December 16.
Until her entry into politics, Khaleda lived as a devoted housewife, focused on raising her children and managing her household. Even during Ziaur Rahman’s presidency, she remained outside of political life.
Entry into politics and rise to power
Her political awareness grew gradually alongside her husband’s career. After the assassination of Ziaur Rahman in 1981, Khaleda joined the BNP on January 2, 1982 as a general member. She was elected vice-chairperson in March 1983 and became party chairperson in August 1984.
Writer Mohiuddin Ahmad, in his book BNP: Shomoy-O-Shomoy, notes that Khaleda began appearing at state functions soon after joining the BNP. For instance, on January 28, 1982, she attended the inauguration of the new National Parliament building in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar alongside the then president Abdus Sattar and prime minister Shah Azizur Rahman.
When the then army chief Hussain Muhammad Ershad seized power in 1982, Khaleda launched movements against his rule, rapidly gaining nationwide recognition. In 1983, she formed the Seven-party Alliance to remove Ershad from power. She boycotted the controversial 1986 elections and was arrested seven times between 1983 and 1990 due to her steadfast opposition.
Following the fall of Ershad’s government in 1990, Khaleda became the first female prime minister of Bangladesh after winning the February 27, 1991 general election. She briefly served a second term following a controversial 1996 election before stepping down under a caretaker government and losing the June 1996 polls to the Awami League.
In 1999, under her leadership, the BNP formed the Four-Party Alliance with the Bangladesh Jatiya Party, Jamaat-e-Islami, and Islami Oikya Jote, initiating strong movements against the ruling Awami League. Promising to root out corruption and terrorism, she won the 2001 election. In 2005, Forbes ranked her 29th among the world’s most powerful women for her role in promoting female education and empowerment.
Later years, legal challenges, and health
During the 2007 caretaker government, Khaleda was arrested on September 3 and released on bail on September 11, 2008. After losing the 2008 election, she became the leader of the opposition in parliament. In 2014, she boycotted the 10th national election, joined by most other major political parties.
In 2018, she was convicted in the Zia Orphanage Trust and Zia Charitable Trust corruption cases and sentenced to 17 years in prison. During the December 31, 2018 general election, she remained in jail, and no member of the Zia family contested the polls. Her party also boycotted the 12th general election held on January 7, 2024.
Following an application from her family, her sentence was suspended in March 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and she was released. The suspension was extended every six months until last year, when the president pardoned her sentence after the July 2024 uprising.
In January this year, she travelled to London for advanced medical treatment and returned to Dhaka in May. Due to her health condition, she has not re-engaged in direct politics, though the party continues to seek her advice before making major decisions.
Shamsuddin Didar, a long-time member of the BNP Chairperson’s Press Wing, said: “Begum Khaleda Zia’s uncompromising stance in the struggle for democracy stands as a shining example in Bangladesh’s political history. She has never bowed to injustice, nor has she abandoned her principles for personal gain. In today’s Bangladesh, I see no alternative to her—there is no other leader with her vision, courage, and fighting spirit.”
He added: “Begum Khaleda Zia is not just the leader of the BNP; she is a symbol of inspiration for the entire nation. Her long political career, unwavering determination, and self-sacrifice have established her as the ‘Mother of Democracy.’ Despite facing immense personal hardship, false cases, and imprisonment, she has remained steadfast on the path of justice. Her life of struggle deeply inspires me, gives me courage, and teaches me that the fight for truth is never in vain.”
