Breaking News: Bangladesh is mourning the death of its first female prime minister, Khaleda Zia, today. She died Tuesday morning at age 80 after a long fight against several illnesses. Her party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), announced her death on Facebook and reported she died around 6:00 am just after the morning prayer. For decades she was one of the most powerful people in the country, and her death closes a major chapter in the nation’s history.
A Historic Political Life of Khaleda Zia
Khaleda Zia initially rose to prominence as the wife of the then-serving president, Ziaur Rahman. When her husband was murdered in 1981, she emerged from life as a quiet housewife to pursue a career in politics. She finally emerged as head of the BNP and wrote history in 1991 when she became the first woman to ever lead a government in Bangladesh. She was often described as “unyielding” because she wouldn’t compromise her beliefs despite some very trying times under military rule.
Zia did her best to change the country for the better while she was prime minister. She is most often credited with helping many more girls get an education and helping make the government more democratic. Three times she was the nation’s leader. Her political career was marked by a decades-long and acrimonious rivalry with another leader, Sheikh Hasina. The two women traded power for decades, a fight that shaped nearly everything about Bangladeshi politics.
Final Days and Family
In recent years, Zia’s health had deteriorated severely. Her last month was spent in the hospital, where she was treated for heart disease, kidney problems and pneumonia. Her condition became “extremely critical” on Monday, and she was placed on life support. Her family, including her son Tarique Rahman, was beside her at the time of her death. Last week, her son returned to Bangladesh after 17 years in London and they were able to be together one final time.
Despite being extremely ill, Zia remained a deeply influential figure for her supporters. Her party had announced recently that she intended to participate in the next elections, scheduled for February. These will be the country’s first elections since her main rival, Sheikh Hasina, was forced into exile after large street demonstrations. With Zia now gone, her son is also likely to assume charge and guide the party as they gear up for the national vote.
Tributes and National Impact of Khaleda Zia
Word of her death brought large groups of people to a hospital in Dhaka to mourn and pay their respects. Many wept and prayed for their leader. The nation’s interim leader, Muhammad Yunus, said she was a “great guardian” of the country and a symbol of the struggle for democracy. He asked the whole nation to pray for her and remembered her as a woman who had encouraged people to fight for their rights.
The mark of Zia will be around for a long time. She smashed through a world almost entirely ruled by men to show an entire country that a woman was up to the task of leading it. On a long career filled with challenges and critics, her followers view her as a hero who doesn’t fear battle. As the country grieves and moves toward funerals and elections, people are considering what she left behind in Bangladesh.
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