Khaleda Zia: The First Female Prime Minister of Bangladesh


Khaleda Zia is a Bangladeshi politician who served as the prime minister of Bangladesh twice, from 1991 to 1996 and from 2001 to 2006. She is the chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), one of the largest political parties in the country. She is also the widow of Ziaur Rahman, a former president and a liberation war hero of Bangladesh. She is widely regarded as one of the most influential and controversial figures in Bangladeshi politics.


Quick Facts


  • Full Name: Khaleda Zia ur-Rahman
  • Known As: Khaleda Zia
  • Nickname: Madam
  • Father: Iskandar Majumder
  • Mother: Taiyaba Majumder
  • Siblings: Khurshid Jahan, Shamim Eskander, Sayeed Iskander, and Lateefur Rahman
  • Husband: Ziaur Rahman (died in 1981)
  • Son: Tareq Rahman and Arafat Rahman (died in 2015)
  • Age (Present): 77 years (as of 2023)
  • Height: 5 feet 4 inches
  • Weight: 65 kg
  • Salary: Unknown
  • Net Worth: Unknown
  • Date of Birth: August 15, 1945
  • Birthplace: Dinajpur, East Bengal, India (now in Bangladesh)
  • Date of Death: Alive
  • Death Place: N/A
  • Cause of Death: N/A
  • Remains: N/A
  • Gender: Female
  • Zodiac Sign: Leo
  • Religion: Islam
  • Race or Ethnicity: Bengali
  • Education: Surendranath College, Dinajpur (did not complete graduation)
  • Nationality: Bangladeshi
  • Influenced: Begum Rokeya, Fatima Jinnah, Indira Gandhi, Margaret Thatcher
  • Major Writings: None
  • Occupation: Politician
  • Social Media: None


Career

Khaleda Zia entered politics after the assassination of her husband Ziaur Rahman in 1981 by some military officers. She became the leader of the BNP in 1984 and led the opposition movement against the military dictatorship of Hussain Muhammad Ershad in the 1980s. She was arrested several times for her political activities and faced various charges and cases.

She became the prime minister for the first time in 1991 after winning the parliamentary election with a majority. She was the first woman to hold this position in Bangladesh and the second in a Muslim-majority country after Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan. She initiated various reforms and policies to improve the economy, education, women’s empowerment, and foreign relations of the country. She also faced challenges such as natural disasters, political unrest, and corruption allegations.

She won a second term in office in 1996 but resigned after a few months due to an opposition boycott and mass protests demanding a neutral caretaker government to oversee the next election. She became the leader of the opposition and boycotted the 1996 election that was won by her rival Sheikh Hasina of the Awami League.

She returned to power in 2001 after winning another parliamentary election with a landslide victory. She formed a coalition government with some Islamist parties and pursued a pro-Islamic agenda. She also faced criticism for her handling of issues such as terrorism, human rights, corruption, and poverty. She completed her full term in office but failed to hand over power to a caretaker government before the 2006 election, leading to another political crisis and violence.

She was detained by the military-backed caretaker government that took over in 2007 on charges of corruption and abuse of power. She was released on bail in 2008 and participated in the 2008 election that was won by Sheikh Hasina again. She became the leader of the opposition for the third time and boycotted the 2014 election that was held without her participation.

She was convicted and sentenced to prison in several corruption cases in 2018 and was denied bail on health grounds. She has been suffering from various illnesses.


Early Life and Childhood

Khaleda Zia was born on August 15, 1945, in Dinajpur, a district in northwestern Bangladesh. She was the third of five children born to Iskandar Majumder, a businessman, and Taiyaba Majumder. She had two sisters, Khurshid Jahan and Shamim Eskander, and two brothers, Sayeed Iskander and Lateefur Rahman. Her father was a supporter of the Muslim League and the Pakistani movement.

She started her school life at Dinajpur Mission School when she was five years old. She later attended Surendranath College in Dinajpur but did not complete her graduation. She was interested in music and sports and participated in various cultural and social activities.


Personal Life and Family

Khaleda Zia married Ziaur Rahman, a young army officer, in 1960 when she was 15 years old. Her husband was a leader in the fight for the independence of Bangladesh from Pakistan in 1971. He became the chief of army staff in 1975 after the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father of Bangladesh. He later became the president of Bangladesh in 1977 and formed the BNP in 1978.

Khaleda Zia had two sons with her husband, Tareq Rahman, and Arafat Rahman. Tareq Rahman became the senior vice-chairman of the BNP and a political heir to his mother. Arafat Rahman became a businessman and was involved in various scandals. Both of them were accused of corruption and fled the country in 2008.

Khaleda Zia became a widow in 1981 when her husband was assassinated by some military officers in a coup attempt. She faced many difficulties and threats after his death but decided to enter politics to carry on his legacy.


Later Life

Khaleda Zia has been living a secluded life since her imprisonment in 2018. She has been suffering from various health problems such as arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and covid-19. She has been denied proper medical treatment and bail by the authorities. She has also been isolated from her family and party members.

She is still regarded as one of the most popular and influential leaders of Bangladesh by her supporters. She is also seen as a symbol of resistance and democracy by some sections of the society. She has received many awards and honors for her contributions to the country.

She is still alive as of 2023.


Some Unknown Information


  • Khaleda Zia is the first woman to become the prime minister of Bangladesh twice.
  • Khaleda Zia is the longest-serving prime minister of Bangladesh with a total of 10 years in office.
  • Khaleda Zia is the only prime minister of Bangladesh to complete a full five-year term without interruption.
  • Khaleda Zia is the only prime minister of Bangladesh to form a coalition government with Islamist parties.
  • Khaleda Zia is the only prime minister of Bangladesh to be convicted and imprisoned on corruption charges.
  • Khaleda Zia is the only prime minister of Bangladesh to boycott two consecutive parliamentary elections.
  • Khaleda Zia is the only prime minister of Bangladesh to have both her sons died within a year.
  • Khaleda Zia is one of the few female leaders in the world to have led an opposition movement against a military dictatorship.
  • Khaleda Zia is one of the few female leaders in the world to have faced assassination attempts multiple times.
  • Khaleda Zia is one of the few female leaders in the world to have been named among Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in 2005.