India, Dec. 30 -- 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.

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 Natio...