Hasina, Sheikh (b.1947- ) Prime Minister of Bangladesh (1996-2001). Sheikh Hasina was born on 28 September 1947 at her parental home at Tungipara in Gopalganj district. She is the eldest among the five children of Bangabandhu sheikh mujibur rahman. After her schooling at Azimpur Girls' High School (1965), she completed her higher secondary education at Government Intermediate College (currently Badrunnesa Government College for Women) in 1967 and graduated from the University of Dhaka in 1973. While at Government Intermediate College, she was elected vice president of the College Students Union for the term 1966-67. Hasina got married to Dr MA Wazed Miah, a nuclear scientist, in 1968.

Sheikh Hasina was a member of the Dhaka University unit of Chhatra League and secretary of the Rokeya Hall unit. Though she took active interest in politics and political movements throughout her student life, Hashina joined politics formally as a leader of the awami leagueafter the assassination of her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

While living in self-exile with her husband in New Delhi, Sheikh Hasina was elected the president of Bangladesh Awami League in 1981, and since then she has been the president of the party. In 1983, Hasina formed the 15-party alliance to launch a movement to oust the military dictator, hussain muhammad ershadfrom power. In the parliamentary elections of 1986, she was elected from 3 constituencies and became the leader of the opposition in the jatiya sangsad.

In 1990, Sheikh Hasina's 8-party alliance participated with other opposition alliances in organising the mass movement that dislodged Ershad from power. Ershad was forced to hand over power to a neutral caretaker governmentaccording to the formula imposed on him by the alliances. In the election that followed in February 1991, Awami League emerged as the second largest party in Sangsad and Sheikh Hasina was duly elected leader of the opposition. She played a significant role in forging a parliamentary consensus for the 12th Amendment to the constitutionin August 1991 introducing parliamentary system of government in the country.

In 1994, Sheikh Hasina organised her party to launch a movement with a view to persuading the government to introduce a constitutionally non-party caretaker government so as to ensure free and fair elections. It was a unique political concept not only for Bangladesh but for all countries having parliamentary democracies. She could impress upon other opposition parties, including the jatiya partyand the jamaat-e-islami bangladeshto join the movement. In the long run, the bangladesh nationalist partygovernment was persuaded to accept the concept and bring the 13th amendment to the constitution in the sixth Jatiya Sangsad (March 1996) providing for a non-party caretaker government.

The parliamentary elections of 12 June 1996 were held under the caretaker government headed by Mr. Justice Muhammad Habibur Rahman. In the elections, the Awami League emerged as the single majority party, and Sheikh Hasina became the Prime Minister of Bangladesh on 23 June 1996. Her government was formed with the support from some other parties.

Sheikh Hasina's administration (1996-2001) was marked by the 30-year ganges water sharing Treaty with India in November 1996, signing of the chittagong hill tracts peace accordin December 1997, achieving considerable success in increasing foodgrain production, improving bilateral relations with many countries, completing the Jamuna Bridge which her government named bangabandhu jamuna multipurpose bridge, and so on.

While prime minister, she had received several honoris causas from various institutions and universities of the world as a mark of her esteem as a public leader.

In the eighth parliamentary elections held on 1 October 2001, Sheikh Hasina's Awami League won only 62 seats as against the two-third majority of the BNP-led 4-party alliance. Sheikh Hasina was duly elected the leader of the opposition.

Sheikh Hasina has authored many books, which include Ora Tokai Keno (1988), Bangladeshey Svairatantrer Janma (1993), Samarik-tantra Banam Ganatantra (1994), People and Democracy (1997), Amar Swapna Amar Sangram (1997), Bangladesh Jatiya Sangsadey Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (1998), Bipanna Ganatantra Lanchhita Manabata (2002). [Helal Uddin Ahmed]