Begum Khaleda Zia was devoted to public welfare throughout her political life. As the leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), she served three terms as prime minister – in 1991, briefly in 1996, and again from 2001 to 2006. And her tenure came at crucial stages in the post-independence development of Bangladesh. The reform initiatives launched under her leadership have had far-reaching impacts on the country’s economy and politics.
'Reform' is one of the most frequently used words in Bangladesh. But in reality, it has always been among the most difficult tasks. After the fall of the Ershad government, the country returned to a democratic system through the 1991 election. During this period, many important reforms were initiated in politics and the economy. Khaleda Zia’s government tried to maintain that continuity.
One of the most important contributions of Khaleda Zia’s first tenure was, of course, the restoration of parliamentary democracy. It strengthened democratic institutions and laid the foundation for civilian governance, which was essential for long-term political stability and development. Not only that, but also her government carried out some major economic transformations. These transformations were mostly focused on market-orientated reforms: Policies encouraging privatisation, trade liberalisation, and private sector growth were expanded at large scale. A new industrial policy of the Khaleda government – that allowed 100 per cent foreign ownership and joint ventures without restrictions – led to rapid expansion of foreign investment and the private sector, especially in small and medium industries. The ready-made garments (RMG) sector also continued to grow significantly during her rule, becoming one of the country’s largest sources of export earnings and employment. The employment growth was 29 per cent in those five years.
The enactment and implementation of the VAT Law during her tenure was the biggest economic reform. Under this law, value-added tax (VAT) was introduced for the first time in the country at the production and import stages, which opened up new avenues for revenue collection and significantly reduced import duties. Despite all the political parties’ disagreement, Khaleda Zia implemented the law, and within five years of its introduction, the share of domestic resources in the development budget increased from 21 per cent to 40 per cent.
Another notable economic reform surfaced when Khaleda Zia-led four-party alliance came to power in 2001. Giving due importance to Bangladesh Bank’s opinion, her government gave no approval of new private banks in the next five years. Due to private-investment-friendly policies and strategies, progress in the industrial sector led Goldman Sachs to include Bangladesh in its list of 11 fastest-emerging countries of the world in 2005, along with countries like Brazil, Russia, India and China.
Apart from economic reforms, Khaleda Zia played crucial roles on the global front as well. She was also a skilled diplomat, elevating Bangladesh’s global standing, fostering friendship with all nations, and earning respect worldwide. She raised the Ganges water-sharing problem in the United Nations to mount pressure on upstream India to allow Bangladesh to have a fair share of water from the common river. Her first term as the premier saw an influx of Rohingyas, but her government managed to influence the international arena to mount pressure on Myanmar, which eventually entered into a deal with Bangladesh to repatriate Rohingya Muslim refugees.
The country has also seen remarkable infrastructure development in Khaleda Zia’s tenures. During 2001-2006, the government invested in roads, highways and bridges to improve connectivity across the country. Improvements in telecommunications, including increased access to mobile phone services, also occurred during this time, contributing to economic and social connectivity.
In the social sector, Khaleda Zia’s governments placed emphasis on education and health. Being a pioneer for women’s empowerment in Bangladesh, Khaleda Zia promoted female education and created employment opportunities. She was a great advocate for children’s rights, providing free education and enacting laws to protect their rights. Also, she was a farmer-friendly, people-orientated leader, introducing agricultural loans and supporting rural development. In healthcare, her governments tried to extend basic health services to rural areas, contributing to improvements in indicators such as child mortality and life expectancy.
Begum Zia was an extraordinary and exemplary politician. For years, she remained a role model for future generations of leaders. She never compromised her principles; instead, she endured persecution, severe oppression and imprisonment without a fair trial. Yet she never gave up. Her resilience, ideals, and reform-orientated policies continue to inspire present and future generations and serve as a guiding path toward genuine national development.
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