Bangladesh Marks Khaleda Zia’s 81st Birth Anniversary

Bangla Press Desk:  The 81st birth anniversary of former prime minister and former Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia was observed across the country on Saturday with due respects.

Marking the day, the BNP and its affiliated bodies held several programmes including doa and milad mahfil at the party's central, district and upazila-level offices.

Party leaders and activists paid their homage by placing wreaths at her grave in the city's Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, offering prayers and holding munajat.

Senior leaders and stalwarts of BNP attended a doa and milad mahfil held at the party central office at Nayapaltan in the capital at 11:00 am.

The party leaders lauded her role and contribution in moving the country forward in terms of economy, education, especially advancing female education and others. Geographic 

Attending the doa and milad mahfil at the party's Nayapaltan headquarters, BNP's presidential candidate Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said the sacrifices and inspirations of Begum Khaleda Zia always show the way to the party.

"Today is a happy day for us. On this day, the leader (Begum Khaleda Zia) was born. She was involved in the fate of Bangladesh and repeatedly brought democracy back to Bangladesh through her leadership and struggles." he said.

Terming late prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia as 'Mother of Democracy', Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, who is also former secretary general of BNP, said Begum Khaleda Zia had participated in the struggles to make Bangladesh prosperous.

"The sacrifices and motivation of the uncompromising leader Begum Khaleda Zia, who had created the position that BNP has today as a democratic party through a long struggle, always inspires us on that path," he said.

"On this day, we will all take this oath that we truly want to build BNP as a modern democratic party that will actually be able to lead Bangladesh," he said while expressing his determination to build BNP as a modern democratic party.

He recalled that when BNP formed the government, it was the hope of every person that this government would work in the coming days to implement the policies of Deshnetri Begum Khaleda Zia, the 'Vision 2030' she gave, and the 31-point of her party.

Mr Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir further said that the BNP will strengthen and protect the independence and sovereignty of Bangladesh.

"We seek forgiveness for the soul of Deshnetri Begum Khaleda Zia. We pray to Almighty Allah to grant Deshnetri Begum Khaleda Zia heaven and peace to her soul," he maintained.

He also prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul of the independence proclaimer, Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman, founder of BNP.

"May Almighty Allah grant him Jannah," he prayed.

Beum Khaleda Zia had served the country twice as the prime minster of Bangladesh from 1991 to 1996 and again from 2001 to 2006. 

She was the first female prime minister of Bangladesh and the second female prime minister in the Muslim world after the then Pakistani prime minister late Benazir Bhutto.

Begum Khaleda Zia was born into a Bengali Muslim family on 15th August 1946 in Jalpaiguri (West Bengal, India).

Her family moved to East Pakistan, now Bangladesh, in 1950. During the Liberation War of Bangladesh, her husband Ziaur Rahmn, then an army major, joined the Mukti Bahini to liberate the country from the Pakistani occupation. 

Begum Khaleda Zia along with her sons Tarique Rahman (now Prime Minister) and late Arafat Rahman Koko, was detained by the Pakistani occupation forces.

She was the first lady of Bangladesh from 1977 until her husband's assassination in 1981.

Afterwards, Zia became active in politics and became the leader of BNP in 1984.

She and her party played a leading role in the pro-democracy movement against the then military ruler Hussain Muhammad Ershad.

BNP under the leadership of Begum Khaleda Zia boycotted the 1986 and 1988 staged general elections during Ershad regime, thus securing for her the reputation of an "uncompromising leader".

She also played a key role in mass uprising that led to the fall of Hussain Muhammad Ershad from power in 1990.

Begum Khaleda Zia's first premiership followed the BNP victory in 1991 general election and saw the introduction of educational, economic, and administrative reforms.

Her party also formed a short-lived government after the February 1996 general election, which was boycotted by the opposition.

Her second premiership began with her party's victory in the 2001 general election and lasted until 2006.

Her second premiership concluded amid a political crisis that resulted in a military takeover in 2007.

The military-backed caretaker government charged and detained Khaleda Zia and her two sons with corruption.

Following the defeat of BNP in the 2008 election by Sheikh Hasina's Awami League, Begum Khaleda Zia was driven out from her cantonment house .

She boycotted the 2014 general election.

She was the longest serving chairperson of BNP from 1984 until her death in 2025.

In 2018, Khaleda Zia was sentenced to a total of 17 years in prison for corruption.

However, following the July Uprising in 2024, she was released and acquitted of all charges.

After years of prolonged illness, Khaleda Zia died on 30 December 2025 in a hospital and was given a state funeral.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi moderated the doa and milad mahfil.

BNP National Standing Committee members Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury and Dr Abdul Moeen Khan also spoke.

Member Secretary of the Nationalist Ulema Party Maulana Abul Hossain conducted the doa.

BNP Joint Secretaries General Habib Un Nabi Khan Sohel and Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anee, and Social Welfare Affairs Assistant Secretary Kazi Abul Bashar were present.

Meanwhile, people of all walks of life remembered Begum Khaleda Zia with profound respects and love marking her 81st birth anniversary.