Khaleda Zia: The reason for the return of parliamentary democracy

At 6am today (30 December), Bangladesh lost one of its most influential political figures. Khaleda Zia's death closes a chapter that reshaped the country's democratic journey, most decisively when power was not merely won, but deliberately restrained.

History could have taken a different turn in 1990, when a mass uprising forced military ruler HM Ershad to resign, ending years of presidential and military rule.

A caretaker government under acting president Shahabuddin Ahmed oversaw the transition, culminating in the 27 February 1991 general election. The BNP emerged as the largest party, and Khaleda Zia was sworn in as Bangladesh's first female prime minister.

The BNP had favoured a presidential system, while the opposition pressed for a return to parliamentary democracy. Presidential authority – concentrated, decisive, and familiar – was not alien to the BNP's political inheritance.

Yet once in office, Khaleda Zia reached a conclusion that would define her legacy: that stability, accountability, and democratic balance were better served by a parliamentary system. 

What followed was unprecedented. For the first time in Bangladesh's history, the government and opposition worked together to amend the Constitution. On 2 July 1991, the BNP government introduced the Constitution (Twelfth Amendment) Bill.

A 15-member multiparty select committee was formed to iron out differences, a rare gesture of inclusion in a polarised political culture. On 6 August 1991, the Jatiya Sangsad passed the bill unanimously, by 307 votes to zero.

That consensus did not end within parliament. Under Khaleda Zia's leadership, the transition was formalised through a unique combination of parliamentary approval and a national referendum.

On 15 September 1991, citizens were asked a clear and specific question: "Should or should not the President assent to the Constitution (Twelfth Amendment) Bill, 1991?" 

The response was overwhelming, with 84.38% voting "Yes", validating the shift from a presidential to a parliamentary system.

Unlike the referendums of 1977 and 1985, this was the first time a concrete constitutional change was placed directly before the people.

The amendment fundamentally restructured the state. Executive power was transferred from the president to the prime minister. The president became a largely ceremonial head of state, elected by the Parliament.

The office of vice-president was abolished. Most crucially, the cabinet became collectively responsible to the Jatiya Sangsad, re-establishing a Westminster-style parliamentary democracy that had been dismantled by the Fourth Amendment in 1975.

Historians highlight the significance of Khaleda Zia's role not simply because she was the first prime minister under the restored system, but because she allowed power to move away from the presidential authority her late husband had once entrenched.

In doing so, she demonstrated a firm commitment to democratic reform – choosing institutions over inheritance, and accountability over control.

The restoration of parliamentary democracy in 1991 remains one of Bangladesh's most important political milestones. It marked the end of nearly 16 years of presidential dominance and revived the democratic spirit of the 1972 Constitution.

Khaleda Zia's willingness to listen, to recalibrate her party's stance, and to trust the people transformed her from a political leader into a leader of the people.