Hundreds of thousands of people travelled from across Bangladesh to the capital Dhaka on Wednesday to pay their final respects to Khaleda Zia, the countryS first female prime minister and a towering figure in its politics.
Zia, who died aged 76 on Sunday after a long illness, was given a state funeral following prayers at Dhaka’s main mosque.
Her body was then carried in a motorcade thru the city, with huge crowds lining the streets, many weeping and chanting slogans in her honor.
Khaleda Zia dominated Bangladeshi politics for decades, leading the bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in opposition to her long-time rival, Sheikh Hasina, the current prime minister.
Her death leaves a significant void in the country’s political landscape, and raises questions about the future of the BNP.
Zia first came to prominence as the wife of Ziaur Rahman, a military ruler who became president in 1977.after his assassination in 1981, she took over the leadership of the BNP and quickly established herself as a powerful political force.
She served as prime minister from 1991 to 1996 and again from 2001 to 2006. her tenures were marked by economic growth, but also by allegations of corruption and political violence.
In recent years, Zia’s health had been failing, and she was imprisoned in 2018 on corruption charges, which she and her party claimed were politically motivated. She was released during the Covid-19 pandemic but remained frail.
Her death comes at a critical time for Bangladesh, which is heading towards general elections later this year. The BNP has been demanding that the elections be held under a neutral caretaker government, a demand rejected by Sheikh Hasina’s ruling Awami League.
analysts say Zia’s death could further polarise the political climate and make it even more difficult to hold free and fair elections.
“Khaleda Zia was a symbol of resistance for the BNP and its supporters,” said Dr Delwar Hossain, a political science professor at dhaka University. “Her absence will be deeply felt, and it remains to be seen how the party will cope without her leadership.”
The government has declared a day of national mourning, and flags are flying at half-mast across the country.
While Zia’s legacy is complex and controversial, there is there’s no doubt whatsoever that she played a pivotal role in shaping modern Bangladesh.Her supporters remember her as a champion of democracy and a defender of the poor, while her critics accuse her of authoritarianism and corruption.
Khaleda Zia: From ‘Battling Begum’ to Symbol of Resistance
Mourners have travelled from around the country to attend Khaleda Zia’s funeral.
Zia will be buried next to her husband Ziaur Rahman, who was assassinated in 1981 while serving as president – an incident that thrusted Zia into political limelight.
She went on to lead the BNP in the country’s first elections in 20 years. She was dubbed an “uncompromising leader” after refusing to participate in a controversial election under military ruler general Hussain Muhammad Ershad in the 1980s.
For several years, along with her bitter political rival Sheikh Hasina, she fought for democracy and against military dictatorship, enduring arrests.
There was talk among Bangladesh’s rulers at the time to keep the two “battling begums” – Zia and Hasina – out of politics in what was then known as the “minus two formula”.
But Zia eventually became prime minister, first in 1991 then again in 2001.
During the time of the military-backed caretaker government in 2007, she was kept under detention.
In the last 16 years, under Hasnina’s Awami League government, Zia emerged as the most prominent symbol of resistance to Hasina’s rule which many saw as increasingly autocratic.
zia’s resilience drew admiration from her supporters, who say that despite various personal and poli
Khaleda Zia, Former Bangladesh prime Minister, Dies at 76
Khaleda Zia, a former prime minister of Bangladesh and a key figure in the country’s politics for decades, has died at the age of 76.Her death was confirmed on Tuesday, February 20, 2024, by her party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-south-asia-68344999
Zia had been receiving treatment for various health issues for several years,including heart problems,liver disease,and arthritis. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/2/20/bangladesh-ex-prime-minister-khaleda-zia-dies-at-76 She served as prime minister from 1991 to 1996 and again from 2001 to 2006.
The BNP had nominated Zia to contest in three constituencies in the upcoming elections, hoping for a return to power. Her son,Tarique Rahman,60,recently returned to Bangladesh after 17 years in self-imposed exile in London and is expected to take on a leadership role within the party. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-south-asia-68344999
Following his mother’s death, Rahman stated, “The country mourns the loss of a guiding presence that shaped its democratic aspirations.” https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-south-asia-68344999
Zia’s political career was often marked by rivalry with Sheikh hasina, the current prime minister of Bangladesh. Their families have dominated Bangladeshi politics for decades. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/bangladesh-ex-prime-minister-khaleda-zia-dies-aged-76-2024-02-20/