Politics-conspiracy and martyrdom: The incidents from 1975 to 1981, which wrote the Bangladeshi ‘Battle of Begums’ script of

Khaleda Zia Death: Former Prime Minister of Bangladesh Khaleda Zia has passed away. She was the national president of BNP i.e. Bangladesh Nationalist Party, which is getting a lot of attention in Asia these days. His story between jail, bail and power is no less than a film script. Khaleda Zia once fought along with Sheikh Hasina to bring political change. But later she became Hasina’s staunch enemy.

This rivalry is known as the &8216;Battle of Begums&8217; Known as, which had two main characters – Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina. One of them has passed away, while the other has taken refuge in India. Both were among the most powerful personalities of Bangladesh. When they were in power, they wreaked havoc on each other. But how did it all start? How did people with common goals become such bitter enemies? Let’s go to the ‘Battle of Begums’ Let’s delve deeper into the story.

Situation like Pakistan in the beginning

Khaleda Zia was the wife of military ruler Ziaur Rehman. In 1971, the Indian Army launched a ‘liberation war’ against Pakistan. Played an important role in. The person who founded the new Bangladesh was murdered. In its early days, Bangladesh was also unstable like Pakistan. Political instability and coups were common here too. Amidst this instability in Bangladesh, Khaleda Zia lost her husband. Her husband was a military ruler, but the story of his fall is also interesting.

Ziaur Rahman killed in coup

Ziaur Rehman took power as army chief in 1977. He founded BNP in 1978. He was also assassinated in a military coup in 1981. Till then Khaleda Zia had no involvement in politics. After the death of her husband, a leadership crisis arose in the party. Khaleda Zia came forward and took command.

Khaleda Zia (Source- Social Media)

He led a popular movement against military dictatorship. Along with him, Sheikh Hasina was also actively involved in politics. Their joint protest led to the demand for restoration of democracy in 1990. The then dictator and former army chief, H.M. Ershad was removed from power. This cleared the way for Khaleda Zia from being a housewife to becoming the Prime Minister.

How did the ‘Battle of Begums’ begin?

When Khaleda Zia first became Prime Minister in 1991, her party already faced a strong political force. Khaleda Zia’s main rival in that election was Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League. Khaleda Zia inherited the legacy of her military ruler husband Ziaur Rahman, while Sheikh Hasina was the daughter of a Bangladeshi liberation war hero. After 1991, there was conflict between these two in every election.

Battle of Begums Infographic (AI Generated)

The reason for this was that the politics of Bangladesh revolved almost entirely around these two women. They were so powerful that till date no third force has emerged in Bangladesh. The rise of Muhammad Yunus was the result of a mass movement, he did not come to power politically on his own.

Assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975

In 1975, Sheikh Hasina’s father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was assassinated in a military coup. A few months later, Khaleda Zia’s husband Ziaur Rehman came to power and became President in 1977. He was also murdered in 1981. In the 1980s, both women joined hands against military ruler Hussain Muhammad Ershad. After which she was removed from power in 1990, but the political enmity between the two women increased further. Khaleda Zia became the first female Prime Minister in 1991 and remained in power until 1996.

Sheikh Hasina became Prime Minister in 1996

Elections were held in 1996 and Sheikh Hasina came to power for a five-year term and remained in office until 2001. During this period, Khaleda Zia had to face many difficulties. Which also included administrative action against him and his son Tariq Rehman. Khaleda Zia again came to power in 2001. This time Jamaat-e-Islami party was part of his government. His tenure from 2001 to 2006 was full of controversies. His second term saw allegations of anti-India rhetoric and supporting insurgency in the north-eastern states of India.

Sheikh Hasina attacked with grenade

Zia’s elder son Tariq Rehman was also accused of running a parallel government and corruption. Sheikh Hasina was very vocal on these issues. In 2004, Sheikh Hasina’s convoy was attacked with a grenade, in which she narrowly escaped. Sheikh Hasina blamed Zia government and Rahman for the attack in Dhaka. With the end of Khaleda Zia’s government, Sheikh Hasina’s position once again became stronger. This time Khaleda Zia had to face difficulties. Political instability returned to Bangladesh and power was handed over to an interim caretaker government. Military rule remained strong.

Khaleda Zia was jailed for 17 years

After this, Sheikh Hasina returned to power in 2009 and remained in office from then till last year. In 2018, Khaleda Zia was sentenced to 17 years in prison in two separate corruption cases. Her party described the allegations as politically motivated, while Sheikh Hasina’s government said it had no involvement in these matters. Political instability returned to Bangladesh.

Sheikh Hasina (Source- Social Media)

Khaleda Zia was released in 2020 and placed under house arrest in a rented house in Dhaka. His treatment continued in a private hospital. After the riots in August 2024, Sheikh Hasina had to leave power and flee. He took refuge in India. When Muhammad Yunus took over the reins of the interim government, Khaleda Zia was allowed to go abroad for medical treatment. Sheikh Hasina never gave them a chance to re-emerge during her rule.

Also read: Heart of arch enemy Sheikh Hasina ached on the demise of Khaleda Zia, said- ‘A big loss to politics’

In January 2025, the Supreme Court of Bangladesh acquitted him in the last corruption case against him. She could also become a candidate in the general elections to be held in February. His son Tariq Rehman is now the acting president of BNP. This struggle will also be remembered because when he sought permission to be released from jail due to illness in 2020, he appealed to Sheikh Hasina 18 times for permission to go abroad for treatment, but the government did not allow it.

…And ended the ‘Battle of Begums’

The government of Muhammad Yunus allowed him to go to London for treatment. Khaleda Zia went to London in January and returned to Bangladesh in May. He died before the general elections in Bangladesh. Khaleda Zia was away from active politics for many years. His son Tariq Rehman was facing many serious allegations of corruption and other crimes. Muhammad Yunus proved to be a boon for him. Bangladeshi film ‘Battle of Begums’ One of the main characters has now left the world. After which this fight has ended.