Khaleda Zia

Khaleda Zia (born 15 August 1945) is a Bangladeshi politician who served as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh from 1991 to 1996 and from 2001 to 2006. She is the widow of President Ziaur Rahman and the chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). Born in Dinajpur district, Khaleda married military officer Ziaur Rahman, who became President of Bangladesh in 1977. After his assassination in 1981, she entered politics and took charge of the BNP. She became the first female Prime Minister of Bangladesh in 1991 and served two terms. Under her leadership, Bangladesh saw economic growth and infrastructure development. She prioritized private sector growth and foreign investment. Her tenure was marked by both development achievements and political confrontations with the Awami League. In 2018, she was convicted in corruption cases and imprisoned. She was released in 2024 for medical treatment abroad after the change of government. Despite her absence from active politics, she remains the symbolic leader of the BNP and a significant political figure in Bangladesh.