Who was Khaleda Zia? First Lady Prime Minister, Career, Family, Net Worth & Electoral History

Begum Khaleda Zia is one of the most consequential figures in Bangladesh’s political history. Her life traced the country’s turbulent path from military rule to parliamentary democracy, marked by resilience, controversy and enduring influence. 

Her death in December 2025 closed a chapter that shaped national politics for more than four decades arriving at a moment when Bangladesh stands on the edge of another pivotal election.

Who was Khalida Zia

Khaleda Zia was a Bangladeshi politician and stateswoman who served twice as Prime Minister, first from 1991 to 1996 and again from 2001 to 2006. She was the country’s first woman prime minister and the earliest female heads of government in the Muslim world. As chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, she stood at the center of power and opposition for much of her life.

Khalida Zia Education

Her formal education began in Dinajpur, where she attended Dinajpur Government Girls High School in 1960. She later studied at Surendranath College. 

Khalida Zia Family

Born on August 15, 1945, in Dinajpur, Khaleda Zia married army officer Ziaur Rahman in 1960. He later emerged as a key figure in Bangladesh’s independence struggle and became president.

After his assassination in 1981, Khaleda Zia was left to raise their two sons, Tarique Rahman and Arafat Rahman Koko while navigating an uncertain future. Family tragedy and political legacy became closely intertwined in her life.

Khalida Zia Career

Her political journey began reluctantly after her husband’s death Ziaur Rahman had founded the BNP in 1978 and Khaleda later became its leader. By 1984, she had become party chairperson leading protests against military ruler Hussain Muhammad Ershad. Repeated arrests only strengthened her standing as a figure of resistance. She openly rejected the 1986 election, calling it unfair, while other political parties chose to participate.

She was arrested seven times between 1983 and 1990 during this period, she built a strong student movement through the BNP’s student wing, Jatiotabadi Chatra Dal (JCD), which won 270 out of 321 student unions. These students played a major role in the protests that finally led to Ershad’s fall in 1990.

Khalida Zia as Bangladesh First Woman Prime Minister

The 1991 election restored parliamentary democracy and Khaleda Zia emerged as prime minister. Her first term is remembered for constitutional reform and the return of civilian governance. A second term followed in 2001, though it was more contentious, marked by allegations of corruption, political violence and rising polarization.

Khalida Zia Electoral History

Khalida Zia Net Worth

An affidavit from 2018 showed significant assets like rental income, bank deposits  with Tk 4.77 crore, properties as Gulshan house share, cantonment house, vehicles and valuables with substantial annual income from rents and investments.

Khalida Zia Death

Khaleda Zia passed away on December 30, 2025, at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka after prolonged illness. She was 80. Her death came just weeks before Bangladesh prepared for national elections, adding emotional weight to an already charged political climate.

Khalida Zia Awards & Honours

• Honoured by the New Jersey State Senate in May 2011 as a Fighter for Democracy, recognizing her role in Bangladesh’s democratic movement.
• Received the Mother of Democracy award from the Canadian Human Rights International Organization in July 2018.
• The award certificate and crest were formally presented by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party at a press conference in Dhaka in February 2022.

Khalida Zia Eponyms

Several university residential halls across Bangladesh bear her name, reflecting her lasting imprint on public life and institutional memory.

• Begum Khaleda Zia Hall, a resident hall at the Islamic University, Kushtia
• Deshnetri Begum Khaleda Zia Hall, a residential hall of University of Chittagong
• Begum Khaleda Zia Hall, a residential hall at the Jahangirnagar University  
• Begum Khalida Zia Hall, a residential hall at the University of Rajshahi