Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia: Tale of Begums in Bangladesh who became die-hard enemies after being friends

Former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, the Iron Lady of Bangladesh, has passed away. She was 80 years old. She served as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh twice. Her husband, Ziaur Rahman, was a renowned freedom fighter like Bangladesh’s founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He rebelled while serving in the Pakistan Army and then became the President of the country. Mujibur Rahman and Ziaur Rahman were once very close, but with the passage of time and the desire for power, the distance between them increased. Then their political heirs, Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia, became enemies from friends.

Where was Khaleda Zia born?

Khaleda Zia was born in British India(BHARAT) on August 15, 1945, in Jalpaiguri, Bengal Presidency, now in West Bengal. At that time, the area was part of the undivided Dinajpur district. After the Partition of India(BHARAT) in 1947, her family settled in Dinajpur (now Bangladesh).

What did his father do?

His father, Iskandar Ali Majumdar, was a tea merchant who had operated in Jalpaiguri but left after Partition and settled in Dinajpur.

Khaleda Zia married then-Pakistani Army Captain Ziaur Rahman in 1960. It was an arranged marriage. At the time, Khaleda was only 15 years old and studying in Dinajpur. Ziaur Rahman was posted near Dinajpur. After the marriage, Khaleda left her studies and moved in with her husband, Ziaur Rahman, who later became the President of Bangladesh. At the time of their marriage, she was 15, while her husband was 25.

Enmity with Sheikh Hasina

The rivalry between Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina is becoming a hallmark of modern Bangladeshi politics. This conflict began with a personal tragedy. Sheikh Hasina is the daughter of Bangladesh’s founder, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Mujibur Rahman was assassinated in 1975 while serving as President. Hasina subsequently became convinced that Khaleda’s husband, Ziaur Rahman, was involved in the assassination. He later became President of Bangladesh. However, he too was assassinated in 1981. Khaleda Zia became a widow at the age of 36. She subsequently took charge of her husband’s party, the BNP, and carried forward his legacy.

Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia came together

A rare moment of cooperation occurred in the 1980s, when Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia led a mass movement against military ruler Hussain Muhammad Ershad. Their combined pressure and mass demonstrations forced Ershad to resign in 1990, paving the way for the restoration of parliamentary democracy in Bangladesh. After Ershad’s fall, the two women alternated in power for nearly three decades, but their relationship became a constant political battle.

Khaleda Zia served as Prime Minister from 1991-1996 and 2001-2006, while Sheikh Hasina held power from 1996-2001 and 2009-2024. A turning point was the grenade attack on Sheikh Hasina’s rally in 2004, which killed 24 people. Hasina accused the BNP government and Khaleda’s son, Tarique Rahman, of attempted murder. However, the BNP denied these allegations.

Hasina’s rule and Khaleda Zia

This rivalry deepened after Sheikh Hasina returned to power in Bangladesh in 2009. Hasina filed dozens of corruption cases against Khaleda. In 2018, she was sentenced to 17 years in prison, which the BNP described as political retaliation. Events changed rapidly in 2024-2025. In August 2024, a massive student-led movement forced Sheikh Hasina to resign as Prime Minister and leave the country.
Soon after Hasina’s fall, Khaleda Zia was freed again.

In January 2025, the Supreme Court acquitted her in the last corruption case. Khaleda Zia’s death marks the end of an era in Bangladeshi politics. In her absence, the next generation is taking the lead. Her son, Tarique Rahman, recently returned to the country after 17 years in exile. He is leading the BNP in the February 2026 elections.

Khaleda Zia married then-Pakistani Army Captain Ziaur Rahman in 1960. It was an arranged marriage. At the time, Khaleda was only 15 years old and studying in Dinajpur. Ziaur Rahman was posted near Dinajpur. After the marriage, Khaleda left her studies and moved in with her husband, Ziaur Rahman, who later became the President of Bangladesh. At the time of their marriage, she was 15, while her husband was 25.