Khaleda Zia
Even though a a reluctant politician, she made considerable progress in the education sector.
Two-times Prime minister of Bangladesh, Khaleda Zia was a reluctant politician. Born in a business family in 1945, she showed little interest in politics even after her husband Ziaur Rehman became the President of Bangladesh in 1975 following the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rehman.Entry into PoliticsIt was only after her husband was killed in an abortive military coup in 1981 and his successor, Justice Sattar was dismissed as the president of Bangladesh by General Ershad in 1982 that she entered politics. She was appointed vice chairperson of BNP (the party her husband founded) in 1983 and subsequently elected its chairperson in 1984.
Led by Khaleda, BNP formed a seven-party alliance in September 1983 to oppose the dictatorial rule of General Ershad. Khaleda was detained seven times during almost nine years of autocratic rule.
Finally, thanks to the widespread protests led by Khaleda and Mujibur Rehman’s daughter, Sheikh Hasina, President Ershad was forced to resign in December 1990.
In the subsequent election held in 1991, Khaleda became the country’s first woman prime minister.
When in power, the government of Khaleda made considerable progress in the education sector, introducing compulsory free primary education, free education for girls up to class ten, stipend for the girl students and food for education programme.
Political highs and lowsWhile Khaleda was elected for a second consecutive term as prime minister in 1996, there was a question mark about the legitimacy of this election as it had been boycotted by all other major parties.Consequentially, she stepped down as prime minister, and in the election that followed in June 1996, her party lost to Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League. The BNP nevertheless emerged as the largest opposition party in the country’s parliamentary history with 116 seats.
While in opposition, the BNP formed a four-party alliance with the Jatiya Party, the Jamaat-e-Islami and the Islami Oikya Jote and launched several agitation programmes against the ruling Awami League. The alliance swept the October 2001 general election with a two-third majority and Khaleda Zia was once again sworn in as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh.