Sheikh Hasina
Bangladeshi politician who served as Prime Minister for 15 years across two periods (1996-2001, 2009-2024) and is the daughter of Bangladesh's founding leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Biography
Sheikh Hasina Wazed, born on September 28, 1947, is a Bangladeshi politician who was Prime Minister of Bangladesh for 15 years during two separate periods, from 1996 to 2001 and from 2009 to 2024. She is the daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding leader and first president of Bangladesh, and she became one of the world's longest-serving female heads of government and Bangladesh's longest-serving prime minister. Born in Tungipara Upazila in the Sheikh family from Gopalganj, she studied at Eden Girls' College and married M. A. Wazed Miah.
Hasina's entry into politics was largely triggered by tragedy. She had little political involvement until her father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was assassinated in 1975, which led to her years in exile. She returned to Bangladesh in 1981 and took over leadership of the Awami League, becoming a key figure in opposing military rule. She worked alongside Khaleda Zia, who would later become her main political rival in what was known as the Battle of Begums. Hasina played a major role in the 1990 mass uprising that successfully brought back parliamentary democracy to Bangladesh.
Her political career involved alternating between power and opposition. After being Leader of the Opposition from 1991 to 1996, she won the June 1996 general election and started her first term as prime minister. After her party lost in 2001, she returned to the opposition until winning decisively in the 2008 general election, kicking off her second and much longer period as prime minister.
During her second term, Hasina oversaw substantial economic growth and infrastructure development, but also faced growing criticism at home and abroad over democratic governance. Her administration was accused of democratic backsliding, human rights violations, enforced disappearances, and limits on political opposition and press freedom. International observers questioned the validity of the 2014, 2018, and 2024 general elections due to electoral issues and concerns about fair competition.
Her time in office ended dramatically in July 2024 when security forces under her government's command cracked down on a student-led quota reform movement, resulting in hundreds of protesters being killed. This reform movement turned into a larger uprising and non-cooperation campaign that eventually forced her to resign and go into exile in India, ending her 15-year continuous rule. Throughout her career, she received many international awards including the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize in 1998, the Indira Gandhi Peace Prize in 2009, and was named to the Time 100 list in 2018.
Before Fame
Sheikh Hasina grew up in Bangladesh's leading political family, with her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, spearheading the independence movement that led to Bangladesh becoming a country in 1971. Despite this political background, she lived a relatively private life, focusing on her education at Eden Girls' College and her marriage to M. A. Wazed Miah. Her move into politics wasn't planned but came about after the tragic assassination of her father and most of her family in 1975.
The 1970s in Bangladesh were full of turmoil after independence, with military coups and authoritarian rule taking over the democratic ideals of the liberation war. During her exile, the country was under military rule by various leaders, creating a gap in civilian political leadership that eventually brought Hasina back home and into politics to continue her father's democratic work.
Key Achievements
- Served as Bangladesh's longest-serving Prime Minister with 15 years in office across two terms
- Led the Awami League party for over four decades since 1981, shaping modern Bangladeshi politics
- Played a central role in the 1990 democratic movement that ended military rule in Bangladesh
- Oversaw significant economic growth and infrastructure development during her second tenure as Prime Minister
- Received multiple international peace and leadership awards including the Indira Gandhi Peace Prize and Time 100 recognition
Did You Know?
- 01.She survived the 1975 assassination of her father because she was visiting West Germany at the time, which saved her life while most of her family perished
- 02.During her tenure, she oversaw the construction of the Padma Bridge, Bangladesh's longest bridge and a major infrastructure achievement
- 03.She was awarded an honorary doctorate from Waseda University in Japan, recognizing her contributions to South Asian politics
- 04.Her political rivalry with Khaleda Zia was nicknamed the 'Battle of Begums' and dominated Bangladeshi politics for over three decades
- 05.She became the first Bangladeshi leader to be convicted in absentia following her 2024 exile to India
Family & Personal Life
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize | 1998 | — |
| Indira Gandhi Peace Prize | 2009 | — |
| Pearl S. Buck Award | 2000 | — |
| Champions of the Earth | 2015 | — |
| Honorary Fellow of Bangla Academy | — | — |
| Deshikottam | 1999 | — |
| honorary doctor of the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia | 2000 | — |
| honorary doctor of Waseda University | — | — |
| Time 100 | 2018 | — |
| Agent of Change Award | 2016 | — |