Khaleda Zia

Who is Khaleda Zia?

Begum Khaleda Zia is a Bangladeshi politician who was the Prime Minister of Bangladesh from 1991 to 1996 and again from 2001 to 2006. When she took office in 1991, she was the first woman in the country's history and second in the Muslim world to head a democratic government as prime minister. She is the chairperson and leader of Bangladesh Nationalist Party which was founded by her late husband President Ziaur Rahman in late 1970s.

After a military coup in 1982, led by Army Chief General Hussain Muhammad Ershad, Khaleda Zia helped lead the continuing movement for democracy until the fall of military dictator Ershad in 1990. Khaleda became prime minister following the victory of the BNP in 1991 general election. She also served briefly in the short-lived government in 1996, when other parties had boycotted the first election. In the next round of general elections of 1996, the Awami League came to power. Her party came to power again in 2001. She has been elected to five separate parliamentary constituencies in the general elections of 1991, 1996 and 2001.

Forbes magazine ranked Begum Khaleda Zia at number 14 in 2004, number 29 in 2005 and number 33 in 2006 in its list of the 100 Most Powerful Women in the World.