Mahidul Islam Ripon , Dinajpur

From a quiet childhood in the northern district of Dinajpur to becoming Bangladesh’s first female Prime Minister, the life journey of Begum Khaleda Zia remains one of the most remarkable chapters in the nation's political history. Known across the nation as ‘Deshnetri’ (Leader of the Nation), her evolution from a soft-spoken homemaker into an uncompromising champion of democracy shaped the country’s modern socio-political landscape.

Born on August 15, 1945, Khaleda Khanam—affectionately known by her childhood nickname "Putul"—was the third of five children born to businessman Iskander Majumdar and Begum Tayyaba Majumdar. The family moved from Jalpaiguri to Dinajpur during Partition, establishing their residence at Tayyaba Villa in the town’s Dakshin Balubari area. Loved by neighbours and peers for her calm nature and grace, Putul began her early education at St. Joseph’s School at the age of five before transferring to Dinajpur Government Girls’ High School in 1954, where she passed her matriculation in 1960. She later pursued higher secondary studies at Dinajpur Surendranath College. Her life took a monumental turn on August 5, 1960, when she married Captain Ziaur Rahman, a young army officer, at her family home in Mudipara, Dinajpur, adopting the name Begum Khaleda Zia.

Following the assassination of her husband, President Ziaur Rahman, in 1981, Khaleda Zia stepped into public life to lead a grieving nation and a fragmented party. Joining the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) as a general member on January 2, 1982, she was elected Vice-Chairman in March 1983 and assumed the role of BNP Chairperson in August 1984. Throughout the 1980s, she spearheaded the multi-party democratic movement to unseat military dictator Hussain Muhammad Ershad. Her refusal to compromise or participate in the boycotted 1986 general elections cemented her public image as an "uncompromising leader". Facing house arrests and detentions seven times between 1983 and 1990, her mobilization of the student wing, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, proved instrumental in restoring parliamentary democracy.

In the landmark free and fair election of February 27, 1991, Khaleda Zia led the BNP to victory, becoming the first woman Prime Minister of Bangladesh. She served as Prime Minister again in 1996 and 2001. Over her political career, she held an unprecedented electoral record: she was never defeated in any parliamentary seat she contested, consistently winning multiple constituencies across general elections from 1991 to 2008.

Her administrations introduced significant socio-economic policies, including free education for female students up to grade 12, stipends for schoolgirls, and the "Food for Education" program to boost primary school enrollment. She promoted market-oriented economic reforms, expanded private-sector development, and increased the entry age for public service jobs from 27 to 30 years. On the international stage, she raised the Ganges water-sharing issue at the United Nations and advocated for the repatriation of Rohingya refugees in international forums during the early 1990s.

Khaleda Zia’s political career was marked by severe personal and political trials. During the 2007 military-backed caretaker government, she resisted immense pressure to go into exile, famously declaring her unwavering commitment to remain on Bangladeshi soil. In her later years, she faced prolonged imprisonment, house arrests, and severe health complications under political strain. Following the student-led July–August 2024 uprising, she was released and acquitted of charges, calling on the nation to build a society grounded in harmony rather than vengeance.

Begum Khaleda Zia passed away on the morning of December 30, 2025, at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka at the age of 80, marking the end of a pivotal era in Bangladesh’s political history. She was buried with full state honours beside her husband in Dhaka, while her parents and elder sister remain buried in her ancestral home of Dinajpur at the Sheikh Faridpur cemetery.