Uncompromising leader Khaleda Zia's legacy will live on in a million hearts

General Ershad seized power on March 24, 1982, suspending the Constitution and imposing martial law. Ever since he seized power, protests began on the streets against him. At the forefront of that movement, the two main political parties of that time, the Awami League and the BNP, along with their political alliance, were simultaneously carrying out protests. In 1986, Ershad organized a farce of national elections. The Awami League led by Sheikh Hasina fell into the trap of that farce and 28 political parties, including Jamaat-e-Islami, participated in the elections. But BNP boycotted the elections and remained steadfast in the street protests. “No compromise with injustice, no elections under a dictator” was the declaration made by BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia. Since then, she has been an ‘uncompromising national leader’ to the people of the country.

Khaleda Zia remained steadfast in her decision until the fall of the Ershad government in a massive popular uprising on December 6, 1990. Even all political parties, including the Awami League, finally united under the slogan "No elections under a dictator." That is why, despite the significant contributions of other political parties and leaderships in the anti-Ershad movement, Khaleda Zia's public image as the genuine leader of the anti-autocracy movement was boosted further. As a recognition of her uncompromising stance and steadfast resistance to the military regime, BNP, led by Khaleda Zia, clinched a landslide victory in the National Assembly elections held on February 27, 1991, and formed the government. This election had special significance. Because until this election, no other national or local elections in independent Bangladesh were free from controversy. According to the outline of the three alliances in the anti-Ershad movement, that election, held under the caretaker government led by the then Chief Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed, was the nationally and internationally recognized acceptable one. That is why the support of the majority of the people in that election was certainly a unique achievement.

Through that achievement, Begum Khaleda Zia took the oath as the first female Prime Minister of Bangladesh. Her journey as a statesman began. We all know more or less how she came into politics. After the martyrdom of the founder of BNP, the late President Ziaur Rahman, his wife Khaleda Zia took over the reins of the BNP, which had become disorganized. After coming to politics as a housewife, Khaleda Zia turned BNP into a party of the people with her strong morale and uncompromising leadership against dictatorship for almost a decade. This is the specialty of Khaleda Zia.

Because BNP became a party of the people, it went through many ups and downs and came to power again in the 2001 national elections. Again, since 2009, when it came to the opposition, BNP has been equally vocal in the National Parliament and on the streets against the controversial decisions of the then government under the leadership of Khaleda Zia. The journey of destroying the electoral system that began with the farce of the 2014 national elections, and the final chapter of that journey through the July 2024 uprising, BNP, under the leadership of Begum Khaleda Zia, was vocal in the fight for democracy on the streets despite all kinds of adversities. During that time, going to prison in ridiculously fabricated cases, repeatedly risking her life, not getting access to advanced medical care, and being forced to stay away from her own child, Khaleda Zia successfully maintained her uncompromising character. Her steadfastness will be emulated in Bangladeshi politics.

Khaleda Zia's departure is an irreparable loss, a void in Bangladeshi politics. Still, the traditional law of nature is, 'Every soul shall taste death.' Even if you don't want to let go, you have to say goodbye to your loved ones, this is the infallible law of nature. But those who truly dedicate their lives to people, even if they die physically, their active lives remain exemplary from generation to generation. Begum Khaleda Zia is such a person. Not only in Bangladesh's national politics, but also in world politics, her name will be spoken with humble respect for ages. Begum Khaleda Zia, the 'uncompromising national leader', will live on in the hearts of millions.



Rased Mehedi, Editor, Views Bangladesh