Zlib1213tarxz Official

Python's zlib module is typically built against the system zlib. To force a specific version, you'd need to rebuild Python itself or use environment overrides like LD_LIBRARY_PATH:

export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/local/zlib-1.2.13/lib:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH
python -c "import zlib; print(zlib.ZLIB_VERSION)"
# Output: 1.2.13

Solution: You are missing the zlib development headers. Even though you're compiling from source, ensure no residual system conflicts. Clean the build: zlib1213tarxz

make distclean
./configure
make

When downloading zlib-1.2.13.tar.xz from a mirror or repository, it is best practice to verify its integrity to ensure the file has not been tampered with.

Checksums (for reference): If you have the file, you should verify it matches the official release hashes: Security Fix (important)