Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh’s first woman Prime Minister, dies at 80

Former Bangladesh Prime Minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia passed away early Tuesday while undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka, the party confirmed. She was 80.

In a statement shared on its verified Facebook page, the BNP said Khaleda Zia died at around 6 am (local time), shortly after the Fajr prayer. “Khaleda Zia passed away at around 6:00 am, just after Fajr prayer. We pray for the eternal peace of her soul and ask everyone to pray for her departed soul,” the party said.

Khaleda Zia had been admitted to Evercare Hospital on November 23 after suffering from a lung infection. She had been battling multiple health issues for several years, including heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, liver cirrhosis, and kidney complications. Earlier this month, she was taken to London for advanced medical treatment.

Her death comes at a politically sensitive moment, with Bangladesh set to go to the polls in February 2026, amid heightened tensions following last year’s July Uprising.

A towering figure in Bangladesh’s politics, Khaleda Zia served as the country’s first woman Prime Minister, holding office multiple times and leading the BNP for decades. Her political legacy has shaped the nation’s democratic and electoral history.

The former Prime Minister’s passing also follows the recent return of her son and senior BNP leader Tarique Rahman to Bangladesh after years in exile. Rahman had left the country following his arrest in 2007–08 and later settled in London. After the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina government last year, he was acquitted in several cases filed during the Awami League regime, paving the way for his return.

Tarique Rahman arrived in Bangladesh last week and was greeted by a large gathering of party leaders and supporters near the airport, an event widely viewed as politically significant ahead of the upcoming elections. He later visited his mother at Evercare Hospital.

Details regarding funeral arrangements and official programmes are awaited.

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