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News India Live, Digital Desk: Whenever we talk about powerful women of South Asia, the mention of Bangladesh politics remains incomplete without ‘Khalida Zia’. Today the news of his demise has created a different kind of buzz from Dhaka to Delhi. Those who know the internal politics of Bangladesh know that Khaleda Zia was not just a former Prime Minister, but she was a living example of struggle.
From the threshold of the house to the reins of the country
Khaleda Zia’s story has been very filmy and dramatic. Born in 1945, Khaleda was initially an ordinary housewife. She had built her entire world with her husband Ziaur Rahman (former President of Bangladesh). But destiny had something else in store. When her husband was murdered in 1981, there was silence in the streets of Bangladesh. To break that silence, Khaleda Zia had to come out. She not only carried on her husband’s legacy but also took the ‘Bangladesh Nationalist Party’ (BNP) to a point where it was impossible to ignore.
A major part of ‘Battle of the Two Begums’
In the political circles of Bangladesh, the story of ‘Battle of Begums’ was on everyone’s lips. On one side was Sheikh Hasina and on the other side was Khaleda Zia. Together, these two women first fought a long battle for democracy, but later they became staunch opponents of each other. Khaleda Zia became the first female Prime Minister of Bangladesh in 1991, and held the seat of power on several occasions thereafter. Bangladesh saw many major changes during his period.
Challenges and legal hurdles
Staying at the top of power has never been easy for him. The last decade of his political journey was quite painful. Conviction in corruption cases, jail time and then prolonged house arrest due to serious health problems. His supporters always called it ‘political rivalry’, while his opponents called it justice. Her health had been deteriorating for the last several years, but her personality was such that despite being in the hospital, she remained the main point of discussion in politics.
Farewell to a strong identity
Khaleda Zia may not be among us today, but her name will be recorded in the history of Bangladesh as a woman who not only made her place in the male-dominated politics but also decided the future direction of the country. She has left the image of ‘Mother of Democracy’ for her supporters and a ‘tough challenge’ for her opponents.
