Election drums are beating loudly in Bangladesh, yet the shadow of Khaleda Zia’s death looms large, sparking a fierce rebuttal from Sheikh Hasina. The former PM decried efforts to pin Zia’s fate on her as a malicious distortion, symptomatic of a toxic political culture.
Zia, revered BNP head and pioneering PM, died December 30, 2025, at 80 after years of ailment. Honored with a state funeral, her legacy endures amid controversy. BNP’s vocal stance, voiced by Nazrul Islam Khan before an august audience, indicted Hasina for jailing Zia over two years from 2018 on spurious charges, claiming medical neglect ravaged her health.
Hasina’s measured yet forceful email response honored her foe. ‘An irreplaceable void in our political history. Despite divides, her nation’s service commands respect. Condolences to her family and admirers.’ She branded the culpability charges lies, urging an end to such divisive tactics when honor is paramount.
Backing this, former minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury detailed the premium care orchestrated by Hasina: cutting-edge hospital setups, overseas surgical teams for pivotal procedures that prolonged Zia’s life. Far from dungeon-like torment, Zia enjoyed house detention with global medical support. ‘Decline accelerated sans Hasina’s oversight,’ he observed, highlighting unexpected empathy in enmity.
This imbroglio, timed with campaigns, tests Bangladesh’s political maturity. Hasina’s intervention seeks to redirect focus from blame to bereavement, potentially bridging rifts as the country charts its electoral path.