Editing Politics of Bangladesh (section)

====2001–2006: Khaleda Zia====
{{see also|Second Khaleda Cabinet}}
[[File:LulaZia.jpg|thumb|Prime Minister Khaleda Zia with the [[President of Brazil]], [[Lula da Silva]] (2004)]]
A Khaleda-led four-party alliance won two-thirds of total parliamentary seats with a total 193 seats, while Awami League won 62 seats. Thus Khaleda Zia won a second term as prime minister in 2001. Her coalition included several Islamist parties. The Awami League walked out from the Parliament in June 2003 to protest derogatory remarks about Sheikh Hasina by a State Minister and the allegedly partisan role of the Parliamentary Speaker. Throughout the year 2004 the opposition party Awami League carried out various processions pressing various demands and claiming government incompetence on various issues. In June 2004, the Awami League returned to Parliament without having any of their demands met.

On 21 August 2004, a group of terrorists conducted [[2004 Dhaka grenade attack|vicious grenade attacks]] on a rally held by the opposition party Awami League including leader [[Sheikh Hasina]]. Prominent leaders including [[Ivy Rahman]] were killed in the attack, and Hasina herself sustained injuries to her ears. A total of 13 grenades were blasted and 24 people killed. The Awami League called for a nationwide hartal (general strikes) on 23 and 24 August 2004 following the incident. Begum Khaleda Zia, then Prime Minister of Bangladesh condemned the attacks, and also vowed a strong probe to catch the culprits. But no charge sheet was provided by the investigating departments. Only after the current government tenure ended a neutral probe formed and charge sheet was provided includes terrorist Mufti Hannan. Later, during Awami League tenure another probe formed and alleged that [[Tarique Rahman]] son of Prime Minister Khaleda Zia along with the then Home Minister Lutfuzzaman Babar had masterminded the attack.<ref>{{cite news |title=Khaleda, Tarique involved in Aug 21 grenade attack: Hasina |url=https://bdnews24.com/politics/khaleda-tarique-involved-in-aug-21-grenade-attack-hasina |newspaper=bdnews24.com |date=21 August 2014}}</ref> But BNP has denied the allegations.

In 2005, Awami League attended Parliament irregularly before announcing a boycott of the entire June 2005 budget session.<ref>{{cite news |title=Awami League to Boycott Budget Session of Bangladesh Parliament |url=https://www.voabangla.com/a/a-16-2005-06-06-voa5-94362764/1387035.html |work=VoA |date=6 June 2005}}</ref> The BNP government tenure expired in October 2006, and was followed by a period of widespread political crisis.