December 31, 2025 07:21 AM IST First published on: Dec 31, 2025 at 07:20 AM ISTAfter Khaleda Zia’s death, with Sheikh Hasina in exile, Bangladesh faces an election that will see the “battle of begums” no more. For a nation grappling with unresolved historical legacies and current crises, with the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus failing to step up to its mandate, the death of Bangladesh’s first woman prime minister and BNP chief marks the end of an era. Her passing coincides with the return of her son, Tarique Rahman, from 17 years of self-imposed exile in London. The size of the crowds he drew at his July 36 Expressway rally signalled that he could be a major political force, and possibly the prime ministerial candidate, in the upcoming election. The challenges are formidable, but an opportunity could also be opening up to tap into the aspirations of young Bangladeshis and overcome the hurdles posed by the old elites. The new government will need to resist extremists who will try to take advantage of the political vacuum. But before that, given that the Awami League has been banned from contesting, free and fair elections will be the first test.Khaleda Zia leaves behind a Bangladesh she played a decisive role in shaping. Her decades-long political feud with Hasina was the continuation of an older struggle over Bangladesh’s identity and political destiny between former presidents, Khaleda’s husband, Ziaur Rahman, and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Hasina’s father. Mujib and Zia fought on the same side during Bangladesh’s Liberation War, yet they never truly agreed on what Bangladesh was, or ought to become. Bangabandhu’s vision was rooted in Bengali nationalism, secularism and socialism. Ziaur Rahman advanced a project centred on Bangladeshi nationalism and the Islamisation of society and governance. Though they briefly united to oust the autocratic President H M Ershad in 1990, Khaleda and Hasina inherited this foundational disagreement.AdvertisementFor too long, the tensions between Bengali nationalist and Islamist forces have prevented Bangladesh from realising its potential. The BNP, too, has exploited religious identity and anti-India sentiment for political leverage. These, however, were also reactive strategies to the Awami League. Now, the BNP under Tarique Rahman has the space to chart its own course while playing a stabilising role in the country. To succeed, the new dispensation in Dhaka will need to cast a wide net, unite factions across the political spectrum, and protect minorities. Rahman has emphasised “deep historical and geographical ties” with India, framing the BNP’s nationalism as “pro-Bangladesh and not anti-India”. That External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will attend the funeral in Dhaka affirms the strength — and potential — of an old relationship.