The passing of Khaleda Zia, the former prime minister of Bangladesh, on Tuesday marks the end of a more than four-decade-long era for India’s eastern neighbour. With Ms Hasina in exile in India and her party, the Awami League, banned from elections, Zia’s death has forced a generational change in the country’s leadership. She also shattered the proverbial glass ceiling, becoming Bangladesh’s first woman prime minister in 1991, only to be replaced five years later by Ms Hasina. Yet, when she was in power, she too faced accusations of weakening institutions and targeting Ms Hasina. Her relationship with India was similarly complex: neither trusted the other, but they also managed to forge a steady working relationship when Zia was prime minister.

Source: The Telegraph December 31, 2025 02:33 UTC