At the dawn of every century, nations and individuals are offered opportunities to lay the foundations of progress. Yet, even after twenty-five years into the 21st century, Bangladesh’s achievements remain modest — so subtle that they are hardly visible to the naked eye. Ironically, the early accomplishments of a century often shape the course of the times ahead.
Thus, it is fair to say that we are residents of a new era — an age where taking a stand for truth and beauty may be difficult, but it is also the time to ascend. In this age, the slogans should champion humanity. The world holds no value without people — and never will. It demands genuine individuals — those who, while looking to the heavens with gratitude, extend a hand to the suffering below; who speak in both joy and grief; who risk their lives to uphold truth and justice. These are the people who elevate humanity.
Every society, every nation, possesses a few such noble individuals. The difference between ‘people’ and the ‘individual’ is subtle — while the masses may remain silent, individuals speak. And that is why individuals carry such weight. Even amidst chaos, the truly compassionate person clings to the truth.
It may take thousands, even millions, to incite destruction — but it takes only a handful to release the dove of peace. These few water the roots of society, nation, and humanity. They stand against war and speak for the vulnerable.
The world has seen its share of such noble souls. Nelson Mandela is revered as Africa’s indisputable leader for his pivotal role in the anti-apartheid movement and his contribution to racial equality in South Africa. After 27 long years in Robben Island prison, he emerged with unwavering strength, uniting people across race and religion.
In India, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi is hailed as the father of the nation for his unshakeable commitment to nonviolence and truth. Though repeatedly imprisoned, his civil disobedience and satyagraha movements made him a symbol of India’s liberation and hope.
Likewise, Abraham Lincoln, Otto von Bismarck, Winston Churchill, Josip Broz Tito, and Ho Chi Minh all became synonymous with resistance, justice, and leadership. And in Bangladesh, that unwavering guardian of democracy is Begum Khaleda Zia — a name that has become inseparable from the country’s struggle for democratic restoration.
Over the past seventeen years, Bangladesh has endured a turbulent political climate. Enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, show trials, and the oppression of political opposition became common under the Awami League government. Amidst this authoritarianism, a few parties raised their voices — but it was the BNP-led coalition that stood as the principal opposition force, including Jamaat-e-Islami, Nagorik Oikya, Ganosamhati Andolon, and several smaller groups.
While all parties suffered in some form, none bore the brunt as heavily as the BNP. Its activists were falsely labelled as terrorists and extremists, and systematic plots were hatched to annihilate its leadership. No one was targeted more intensely than the party’s chairperson and three-time former Prime Minister, Begum Khaleda Zia.
Since 2006, Khaleda Zia has weathered an unrelenting storm. She endured personal losses — her beloved elder sister Khurshid Jahan Haque in 2006, her mother Tayeba Majumder in 2008, her younger brother Saeed Eskander in 2012, and most heartbreakingly, her younger son Arafat Rahman Koko in 2015. Despite such grief, she received no sympathy from the state. In 2010, on orders from then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, she was evicted from her long-time residence on Moinul Road in the Dhaka Cantonment — a home filled with memories of her late husband and children.
Her only surviving son, Tareque Rahman — now acting chairman of the BNP — was brutally tortured and forced into exile in 2008 for medical treatment. Though he survived, the ruling party continued its political vendetta.
Still, Khaleda Zia never wavered. She remained resolute on the frontlines of the democratic struggle — her commitment as firm as a mountain. Even when handed a politically motivated ten-year sentence in the Zia Orphanage Trust case, she never begged for release from her oppressors. Instead, she urged her party workers to stay united and to continue the fight for democracy and people’s freedom. She declared she would return — and that her movement would not end until the people were liberated.
Indeed, Khaleda Zia never halted the fight. With the torch of democracy in one hand and the baton of resistance in the other, she charged forward every day, undeterred and unrelenting.
Had she bowed to the Awami League’s doctrine — had she accepted the one-sided 2013 elections, the rigged 2018 polls, or the sham 2024 vote — a one-party regime might have been cemented forever. The recent democratic resurgence in Bangladesh would never have emerged, nor would there be any hope for democratic revival.
Thus, it is the duty of the interim government to honour democracy by reinstating a credible electoral process — and in doing so, they would also be honouring the indomitable leader of the people, Begum Khaleda Zia, with the recognition she has long deserved.
Author: Poet and Fiction Writer
E-mail: [email protected]
