What happened to Sheikh Hasina?
Sheikh Hasina stepped down as Prime Minister after weeks of protests against government job quotas led to widespread unrest across the country.
The Battle of Begums: A Tale of Two Rivals
Khaleda Zia, the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, was set to walk out of jail. This surprising news came just hours after her biggest rival, Sheikh Hasina, resigned as Prime Minister and fled the country. President Mohammed Shahabuddin announced the decision to release Khaleda Zia immediately after Sheikh Hasina stepped down. Hasina had ruled Bangladesh for 15 years but left the country amidst growing unrest and protests.
Khaleda Zia, now 78 and in poor health, had been jailed in 2018 on corruption charges. She was the leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the main opposition to Hasina’s Awami League. Their rivalry was so intense that it became known as the “Battle of Begums.”
The Decision to Release Khaleda Zia
The decision to release Zia was made in a meeting with top opposition leaders and military chiefs. It was also decided to free those arrested during recent student protests against government job quotas.
Bangladesh had been in turmoil for weeks, with tensions peaking when Sheikh Hasina resigned. Thousands of protesters stormed her residence and the Parliament, leading to her flight to a safe house near Delhi, India. The situation in Bangladesh remained tense, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BSF closely monitoring the developments along the border.
Khaleda Zia’s Background
Khaleda Zia was born on August 15, 1945, in Dinājpur, East Bengal (now in Bangladesh). She became politically active after the assassination of her husband, Ziaur Rahman, in 1981. Ziaur Rahman was a prominent figure in the fight for Bangladesh’s independence and served as the country’s president until his death. Khaleda took over the leadership of the BNP in 1984 and faced numerous arrests during the dictatorship of Hussein Mohammad Ershad in the 1980s.
In 1991, she led the opposition to victory and became the first woman Prime Minister of Bangladesh. Her first term was marked by efforts to tackle economic problems, privatize industry, and improve education. However, a devastating cyclone in 1991 hampered these efforts, killing over 130,000 people and causing massive damage.
khaleda zia and Sheikh hasina Relationship || The Rivalry with Sheikh Hasina
Sheikh Hasina, daughter of Bangladesh’s founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, became Prime Minister for the first time in 1996. The rivalry between Khaleda and Hasina, rooted in their families’ political legacies, dominated Bangladeshi politics for decades. Hasina’s Awami League and Khaleda’s BNP alternated in power, with each accusing the other of corruption and misrule.
In 2001, Khaleda regained power, promising to eliminate corruption and terrorism. However, these issues persisted throughout her second term, leading to widespread dissatisfaction. She stepped down in 2006, and a caretaker administration took over until new elections could be held.
खालिदा जिया को कैद क्यों किया गया था? || Why Khaleda Zia’s
In January 2007, a state of emergency was declared in Bangladesh, and an army-backed government took power, launching an anti-graft campaign. Khaleda was arrested in September 2007 on corruption charges and was convicted in 2018, beginning a five-year prison sentence. Her health deteriorated, and she was temporarily released in March 2020 for medical treatment.
Is Khaleda Zia alive
yes, Khaleda Zia’s release marks a significant moment in Bangladeshi politics, potentially reshaping the country’s future. As she steps out of jail, the nation watches closely, wondering what lies ahead for the “Battle of Begums.”