New Delhi, Jan 28 (UNI) Both Houses of the Parliament on Wednesday passed an obituary reference mourning the demise of Begum Khaleda Zia, the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, shortly after resuming their sessions following President Droupadi Murmu’s address.
Khaleda Zia, a towering figure in Bangladesh’s political landscape and the country’s first female Prime Minister, passed away on December 30 at the age of 79 after a prolonged illness at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka. She led Bangladesh twice as Prime Minister, from 1991 to 1996 and again from 2001 to 2006, leaving a lasting impact on her nation’s governance and development.
Born on August 15, 1946, in Dinajpur, then part of India’s East Bengal (now northern Bangladesh), Khaleda’s entry into politics was marked by personal tragedy rather than ambition. She married military officer Ziaur Rahman in 1960, who rose to prominence following Bangladesh’s 1971 war of independence. Rahman later became the country’s President in 1977 and founded the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in 1978.
Her political journey began after Rahman’s assassination during an attempted military coup in 1981, which left Bangladesh in political turmoil. This event thrust Khaleda Zia into the leadership of the BNP and the national political arena, where she played a pivotal role in stabilizing and shaping Bangladesh’s post-coup political order.
Parliament’s tribute today reflects the significant legacy Khaleda Zia leaves behind as a key figure in South Asian politics and a trailblazer for women leaders in the region.
