Bangladesh remembers Khaleda Zia for political leadership and environmental reforms, from the 1995 conservation law to plastic bans, cleaner transport and early climate adaptation that shaped national policy.
With a heavy heart, we mark the passing of Begum Khaleda Zia, the first female Prime Minister and Chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), on 30 December. Beyond her political leadership, Khaleda Zia played a pioneering role in shaping Bangladesh’s environmental governance, laying the foundations for laws, policies and institutional frameworks that continue to guide the country’s environmental and climate action today.
During her first term from 1991 to 1996, Khaleda Zia’s government enacted the Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act, 1995, a landmark law that remains the backbone of environmental regulation. The Act empowered the Department of Environment to regulate industrial pollution, enforce environmental standards and require environmental impact assessments for public and private development projects. Alongside this, the government advanced the National Environment Policy 1992 and the National Environment Management Action Plan, marking a shift from fragmented, sectoral approaches toward a structured, national strategy for conservation and pollution control.
Her administration also supported social forestry and tree plantation programs, increasing green cover in rural and urban areas and prioritizing environmental considerations in infrastructure development. While climate change was not yet a dominant global discourse, her government strengthened disaster preparedness, emergency response and post-disaster rehabilitation, laying early foundations for Bangladesh’s climate adaptation framework.
These initiatives built on the earlier groundwork of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman, who in the 1970s established the Wildlife Preservation Ordinance and integrated environmental principles into governance. Together, their policies represent a continuum of long-term environmental stewardship in Bangladesh.
Long before global concern over plastic pollution peaked, Khaleda Zia’s government took decisive action against polythene waste. In 2002, during her second term from 2001 to 2006, the government implemented a nationwide ban on thin polythene shopping bags to combat urban flooding, river pollution and environmental degradation caused by indiscriminate plastic use. At the same time, the administration actively promoted jute-based bags as a sustainable alternative. Jute, Bangladesh’s golden fibre, is biodegradable, renewable and central to rural livelihoods. Policies encouraged production, public awareness and market incentives for jute goods, linking environmental sustainability with economic resilience. These steps positioned Bangladesh as a global pioneer in national-level plastic regulation and natural-fibre promotion.
Khaleda Zia’s government also introduced transformative measures for urban environmental management. In 2003, two-stroke petrol and diesel-run three-wheelers were banned in Dhaka to reduce black smoke emissions, replaced by over 13,000 CNG-powered vehicles. Her administration relocated tanneries from Hazaribagh to reduce river pollution and established noise pollution rules in 2006, regulating vehicle horns and industrial noise. These interventions advanced public health and urban sustainability in Bangladesh’s rapidly growing cities.
Recognizing Bangladesh’s vulnerability to climate hazards, Khaleda Zia’s government emphasized adaptation and disaster risk reduction. Cyclone shelters were built, schools were converted into shelters and over a million coconut saplings were planted in coastal areas to protect against storm surges. Her administration also prepared Bangladesh’s National Adaptation Programme of Action in 2005, identifying climate risks and adaptation priorities at a national scale. Bangladesh was an early signatory to the UNFCCC in 1992 and ratified the Kyoto Protocol in 2001, positioning itself as a proactive, climate-vulnerable country advocating for international support in adaptation, loss and damage and resilience-building. Khaleda Zia’s leadership ensured that environmental governance was not only a domestic concern but also part of Bangladesh’s global climate engagement.
Khaleda Zia’s environmental legacy provides the foundation for future climate leadership. The policy, legal and institutional frameworks established under her leadership remain relevant as Bangladesh faces expanded climate adaptation for coastal, riverine and drought-prone regions, loss and damage mitigation for ecosystems, livelihoods and cultural heritage, climate-induced displacement protecting vulnerable communities from erosion, salinity intrusion and flooding and just transition ensuring environmental action aligns with social inclusion, employment and equitable development. Her initiatives, including social forestry, polythene regulation, jute promotion, CNG adoption, disaster preparedness and NAPA, demonstrate that bold environmental decisions are possible when backed by legal frameworks, institutional capacity and public participation.
The BNP continues to position environmental stewardship as a central policy priority. Acting Chairperson Tarique Rahman has articulated commitments to develop a national green recovery plan prioritizing renewable energy, sustainable agriculture and forest regeneration, phase out harmful plastics and chemicals while promoting eco-friendly products, implement river and wetland restoration programs to protect aquatic environments, support climate-resilient agriculture and infrastructure in vulnerable regions and integrate environmental education into school curricula to cultivate a generation of eco-conscious citizens. These commitments underscore that Khaleda Zia’s vision remains a blueprint for sustainable development, climate action and just transition in Bangladesh.
Begum Khaleda Zia’s three terms as Prime Minister left an indelible mark on Bangladesh’s environmental governance. By establishing legal frameworks, promoting sustainable alternatives, addressing urban and industrial pollution, strengthening disaster resilience and engaging globally, she laid the foundation for climate adaptation, loss and damage mitigation and just transition policies. Her legacy, alongside the early initiatives of Shaheed Ziaur Rahman, continues to guide the nation toward a resilient, green and sustainable future.
