Bangladesh crisis: Meet Khaleda Zia, former PM, Sheikh Hasina rival, set to be released from jail

On Monday, Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin announced the release of opposition leader and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. This came hours after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled the violence-hit country. The decision to release Zia was made during a meeting with opposition party members. 

The meeting included the army chief Waker-Uz-Zaman, navy and air force heads, and top leaders from opposition parties like the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami.

Who is Khaleda Zia?

Khaleda Zia, a long-time rival of Hasina, was jailed in 2018 after receiving a 17-year sentence for graft. She is the chief of the BNP and began her political career after her husband, former President Ziaur Rahman, was assassinated in 1981. 

Zia became the first woman Prime Minister of Bangladesh in 1991 and served a second term from 2001 to 2006. After her term ended, the 2007 elections were postponed due to political unrest, leading to a military takeover. Zia and her sons were charged with corruption during the interim rule. She is currently hospitalised due to health issues and has often travelled abroad for medical treatment.

The unrest in Bangladesh escalated with massive anti-government protests over the past month. Sheikh Hasina resigned from her post and fled to India on Monday. According to reports, she is expected to remain there until granted asylum in a third country.