Bangladesh’s uncompromising former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia has been released from years of house arrest following the ouster of her bitter rival, Sheikh Hasina. This development comes in the wake of mass protests that led to Hasina’s departure as premier and subsequent exile.
The enmity between Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina, popularly known as the “Battle of Begums,” has defined Bangladeshi politics for decades. Zia, 78, was sentenced to 17 years in prison on graft charges in 2018 under Hasina’s rule. Following the ouster of Hasina and the declaration of an interim government by the military, orders were issued for Zia’s release.
Khaleda Zia, who is the chairperson of the Bangladesh National Party (BNP), has been in poor health, suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, and cirrhosis of the liver. BNP spokesman AKM Wahiduzzaman confirmed her release, stating, “She is now freed.”
The rivalry between Zia and Hasina has roots in the violent political history of Bangladesh. Sheikh Hasina’s father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the country’s founding leader, was assassinated in 1975, leading to a series of political upheavals. Zia’s husband, Ziaur Rahman, took control of the government shortly after and was later killed in a military coup in 1981.
Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina have alternated in power since the 1990s, each serving multiple terms as Prime Minister. Their mutual dislike led to a political crisis in 2007, resulting in military-imposed emergency rule.
Hasina’s tenure saw the detention of thousands of BNP members, with many disappearing. Zia’s release marks a significant turn in Bangladesh’s political landscape, as the nation awaits the formation of a new government.
