End of an era: How global media are remembering Khaleda Zia and her legacy
From the BBC and The New York Times to Reuters and Al Jazeera, international outlets are reflecting on Khaleda Zia’s long political career, her dominance in Bangladesh’s power politics, and the enduring rivalry that shaped the nation’s modern history
International news organisations have reported extensively on the death of former prime minister Khaleda Zia as the end of an era in the country's politics, focusing on her long political career, her dominance in Bangladesh's power politics as Bangladesh's first female premier, the enduring rivalry with Sheikh Hasina, and her decades-long influence on national politics.
The BBC described Khaleda Zia as Bangladesh's first female head of government, who rose to power in 1991 after leading her party to victory in "the country's first democratic election in 20 years."
The broadcaster said Bangladeshi politics for decades had been "defined by the bitter feud between the two women," referring to Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina, who "alternated between government and opposition."
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Highlighting her political character, the BBC said Khaleda was known as an "uncompromising leader" after refusing to take part in a controversial election under military ruler Hussain Muhammad Ershad in the 1980s, adding that she "broke through a male-dominated political landscape and transformed into one of Bangladesh's most formidable political leaders."
The BBC also noted that while her first term was praised for improving women's education and restoring parliamentary democracy, her later administrations faced criticism over corruption allegations, which she repeatedly denied as politically motivated.
The New York Times framed Khaleda Zia's death as closing a chapter in Bangladesh's turbulent political history, writing that her "decades-long rivalry with another woman at the helm of a duelling political dynasty shaped the fate of the young South Asian nation."
The paper said she "alternated as Bangladesh's highest elected official with Sheikh Hasina," who later "grew increasingly authoritarian until she was toppled following deadly protests last year."
Reflecting on her final years, the NYT reported that Khaleda was "hounded by her political rival, who kept her either in jail or under house arrest as court cases piled up against her," and suffered from multiple illnesses.
Quoting her final public message after Hasina's downfall, the paper said she called it "the end of tyranny," adding, "Through a long movement of struggle and sacrifice, we have freed ourselves from the fascist, illegal government."
Reuters reported that Khaleda Zia, who "became Bangladesh's first female prime minister in 1991 and went on to develop a bitter rivalry with Sheikh Hasina as they spent decades trading power," died at the age of 80 after a long illness. Citing doctors, Reuters said she suffered from "advanced cirrhosis of the liver, arthritis, diabetes, and chest and heart problems."
The news agency noted that despite being out of power since 2006 and spending years in jail or under house arrest, "she and her centre-right BNP continued to command much support."
Reuters also pointed to the political future of her party, saying the BNP is "seen as the frontrunner to win the parliamentary election slated to take place in February."
On her political legacy, Reuters recalled that Khaleda replaced the presidential system with a parliamentary one and "lifted restrictions on foreign investment and made primary education compulsory and free," while also noting that her second term was "marred by the rise of Islamist militants and allegations of corruption."
"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 she became the head of the BNP, which her husband had founded, and vowed to deliver on his aim of "liberating Bangladesh from poverty and economic backwardness," the news outlet wrote.
Al Jazeera described Khaleda Zia as "a towering figure in the country's turbulent politics," whose death "closes a chapter spanning more than three decades" dominated by her rivalry with Sheikh Hasina, the two often referred to as the "battling begums."
The network noted that Khaleda's legacy remains "deeply contested," saying that while she was seen by supporters as a fighter for democracy, her "uncompromising style while in opposition" and "recurring allegations of corruption when she was in power" made her a polarising figure.
Al Jazeera also recalled her rise from political obscurity after the assassination of her husband, Ziaur Rahman, noting that initially she was "dismissed as a political novice," but later "proved a formidable opponent" in the movement against military dictatorship and in Bangladesh's return to electoral democracy.
Across outlets, international media portrayed Khaleda Zia as a central figure in Bangladesh's modern political history, admired by supporters as a symbol of resistance and democracy, criticised by opponents for confrontational politics, whose death marks the end of a defining chapter in the country's public life.
"The widow of former President Ziaur Rahman, Khaleda became her nation's first female prime minister in 1991 by leading the Bangladesh Nationalist Party to victory in the first free election in more than a decade," Bloomberg reported.
The news outlet also pointed out, "her administration introduced a value-added tax, unlocking a revenue stream for the state, and established a privatization board in 1993, one of the free-market reforms that spurred Bangladesh's rise as a global hub for garment exports."
"One of her most lasting policies was the introduction of free primary education and stipends for female students. The initiative is widely credited with boosting literacy rates and creating a vast female workforce," it added.
