At 6am on December 30, 2025, the nation woke to the passing of Begum Khaleda Zia, who breathed her last after a prolonged battle with numerous illnesses. Khaleda Zia’s entry into politics was born of tragedy after the assassination of her husband, President Ziaur Rahman. Indeed, to remember Khaleda Zia is to remember Bangladesh and it is a disservice to her and her legacy if we confine it to party lines or electoral contests. She was the first woman in Bangladesh to prove that women could lead at the highest level, and offered hope and a voice to millions of girls and women. Khaleda Zia navigated the complexities of leading Bangladesh in a society that was caught between paying homage to its past and origin while needing to embrace modernity and the future.

Source: Dhaka Tribune December 31, 2025 06:41 UTC