Khaleda Zia’s legacy honoured in Washington

Diplomats, journalists and policy makers gathered on Monday at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., to pay tribute to Bangladesh’s first female prime minister, Begum Khaleda Zia, honouring her political legacy, personal sacrifices and lifelong struggle for parliamentary democracy.
The event, organised by Bangladesh’s Ambassador to Mexico and National Press Club member Mushfiqul Fazal Ansarey, featured speakers including National Press Club President Mark Schoeff, former US ambassadors Dan Mozena and Marcia Bernicat, Stimson Center Senior Fellow Steve Rose, former VOA Bangla head Iqbal Bahar Chowdhury, Press Minister Golam Mortoza, former AP editor Myron Belkind, and American University law professor Ehteshamul Haq.
Ambassador Ansarey described Khaleda Zia as “a towering figure inseparable from the history of Bangladesh’s democratic struggle.” He recalled her courage during the 25 March 1971 crackdown, when she blocked attempts to remove weapons from the East Bengal Regiment without her husband Major Ziaur Rahman’s consent, setting an early example of resistance to oppression. He also noted her later imprisonment on politically motivated charges, citing domestic and international protests, including US State Department human rights reports.