"Unite the party and prepare to lead," Ms. Zia had urged BNP members earlier this year. Ms. Zia was jailed for corruption in 2018 under the autocratic government of Sheikh Hasina, which also barred her from travelling abroad for medical treatment. Three months later, Ms. Zia's husband, Ziaur Rahman, then Deputy Army Chief, effectively took control. Ms. Zia, then a 35-year-old mother of two, inherited the BNP leadership. But Ms. Zia's political legacy may yet continue.

Source: The Hindu December 30, 2025 12:27 UTC