A former Bangladeshi secretary has shared personal recollections of Begum Khaleda Zia, portraying her as a leader of integrity, empathy, and restraint. The narrative spans from the early 1990s, when the author met Khaleda Zia’s son Arafat Rahman Koko in Australia, to later years when the author worked at the Prime Minister’s Office. Through these memories, the author highlights Khaleda Zia’s concern for her son’s hardships abroad, her modest lifestyle, and her composed leadership style during her tenure as prime minister.

The account recalls Koko’s financial struggles as a student in Melbourne, his mother’s inability to send money, and her distress upon learning that counterfeit dollars had reached him. It also describes Khaleda Zia’s humility in office, her fairness in decision-making, and her interactions with ministers and cultural figures such as writer Humayun Ahmed. The author concludes with a reflection on her lifelong dedication to the nation and a prayer for her peace in the afterlife.

The piece serves as a personal tribute, emphasizing Khaleda Zia’s moral strength and human sensitivity as remembered by someone who observed her closely over decades.