Bangladesh is bidding farewell to former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, a leader whose life profoundly shaped the nation’s political landscape.

From her early days as the spouse of a military officer, through decades of democratic struggle, to her historic rise as Bangladesh’s first female prime minister in 1991, Khaleda’s journey was one of remarkable transformation.

Born on August 15 1945, in Dinajpur, East Bengal, Khaleda Majumdar grew up in a modest family far removed from politics. Her life took a decisive turn in 1960 when she married Ziaur Rahman, whose rise as a military officer and later president brought her into the public eye and set the stage for her political career.

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, in 1984, she assumed leadership of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which her husband had founded, and vowed to deliver on his aim of "liberating Bangladesh from poverty and economic backwardness".

Initially reluctant, she transformed personal loss into political resolve, navigating a turbulent political arena with courage.

She joined hands with Hasina, daughter of Bangladesh's founding father and head of the Awami League party, to lead a popular uprising for democracy that toppled military ruler Hossain Mohammad Ershad in 1990.

By 1991, her perseverance culminated in a historic victory. She became Bangladesh’s first female prime minister, leading the country back to democracy after years of military-backed rule. 

But Hasina and Khaleda’s cooperation did not last long. Their bitter rivalry would lead to the two being dubbed "the battling Begums" - a phrase that uses an Urdu honorific for prominent women.

Supporters saw her as polite and traditional yet quietly stylish, someone who chose her words carefully. But they also viewed her as a bold, uncompromising leader when it came to defending her party and confronting her rivals. 

Hasina, by contrast, was far more outspoken and assertive. 

For decades, Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina alternated power, shaping elections, policies, and the nation’s political culture. This contest became a defining theme of Bangladesh’s modern history.

In 1991, Bangladesh held what was hailed as its first free election. Khaleda won a surprise victory over Hasina, having gained the support of the country's Jamaat-e-Islami party.

In doing so, Khaleda became Bangladesh's first female prime minister and only the second woman to lead a democratic government of a mainly Muslim nation after Benazir Bhutto, elected to lead Pakistan three years earlier.

Khaleda lifted restrictions on foreign investment and made primary education compulsory and free. She lost to Hasina in the 1996 general election but came back five years later with a surprise landslide win.

Her second term was marred by the rise of terrorism and allegations of corruption.

In 2004, a rally that Hasina was addressing was hit by grenades. Hasina survived, but over 20 people were killed and more than 500 were wounded. Khaleda's government and its allies were widely blamed.

Khaleda’s second stint as prime minister ended in 2006 when an army-backed interim government took power amid political instability and street violence.

The interim government jailed both Khaleda and Hasina on charges of corruption and abuse of power for about a year before they were both released ahead of a general election in 2008.

Khaleda never regained power. With the BNP boycotting the 2014 and 2024 elections, her vitriolic feud with Hasina continued to dominate Bangladeshi politics.

Tension between their two parties often led to strikes, violence and deaths, impeding the economic development of Bangladesh, a poverty-stricken country of about 175 million that is low-lying and prone to devastating floods.

In 2018, Khaleda, Rahman and aides were convicted of stealing some $250,000 in foreign donations received by an orphanage trust set up when she was last prime minister - charges that she said were part of a plot to keep her and her family out of politics.

She was jailed but moved to house arrest in March 2020 on humanitarian grounds as her health deteriorated.

Khaleda was freed from house arrest in August 2024 after Hasina's ouster.

In early 2025, Khaleda and Rahman were acquitted by Bangladesh's Supreme Court in the corruption case that resulted in the 2018 jail sentences. Rahman had been acquitted of the 2004 grenade attack on Hasina a month earlier.

In her final years, she battled illness and political restrictions, yet her legacy endured.

She died on Tuesday after a long illness. She was 80.

Khaleda had advanced cirrhosis of the liver, arthritis, diabetes, and chest and heart problems, her doctors said. She went to London for medical treatment in early 2025, staying for four months before returning home.

Her son and acting chairman of the BNP, Tarique Rahman, 60, returned to the country last week from nearly 17 years in self-exile. He said his return had been delayed due to security and political concerns amid criticism over his absence during her critical illness.