Who Was Khaleda Zia? How She Became Bangladesh's First Female Prime Minister

Who Was Khaleda Zia? Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, whose archrivalry with Sheikh Hasina defined the country's politics for a generation, has died, her political party said in a statement Tuesday. She was 80.

She had faced corruption cases, although Zia rejected it and had termed it politically motivated. However, in January 2025, the Supreme Court acquitted Zia in the last corruption case against her, which would have let her run in February's election. She had returned to the country in May after undergoing medical treatment in the UK.

The BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister, Begum Khaleda Zia, passed away today at 6:00 a.m., shortly after the Fajr prayer. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji‘un. We pray for the forgiveness of her soul and request everyone to offer prayers for her departed soul. pic.twitter.com/KY2948UPD5

— Bangladesh Nationalist Party-BNP (@bdbnp78) December 30, 2025

The BNP is seen as the frontrunner to win the parliamentary election slated to take place in February. Her son and acting chairman of the party, Tarique Rahman, 60, returned to the country last week from nearly 17 years in self-exile and is widely seen as a strong candidate to become prime minister.

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Who was Khaleda Zia?

Zia was born on August 15, 1946, to Taiyaba and Iskandar Majumdar in Dinajpur district in undivided India. Her father migrated from Jalpaiguri, where the family ran a tea business, to what was East Pakistan after the partition. In 1960, she married Army Captain Ziaur Rahman, who became the president of Bangladesh.

How did Khelada Zia become Bangladesh's first PM?

Khaleda Zia was married to President Ziaur Rahman, who was killed during a 1981 coup. Zia then helped build a mass movement against the military dictator, who was finally ousted in 1990. She won her first term in 1991 and served again from 2001. Her opponent in that election and several since was Hasina.

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The rise and fall of Khaleda Zia

Though Khaleda had been out of power since 2006 and had spent several years in jail or under house arrest, she and her centre-right BNP continued to command much support.

Known by her first name, Khaleda was described as shy and devoted to raising her two sons until her husband, military leader and then-President Ziaur Rahman, was assassinated in an attempted army coup in 1981. Three years later, she became the head of the BNP, which her husband had founded, and vowed to deliver on his aim of "liberating Bangladesh from poverty and economic backwardness". 

Later, in 1991, Khaleda became country's first PM.

(With inputs from agencies)