Bangladesh’s first female prime minister, Khaleda Zia, passed away on Tuesday after a long illness, her party said. She was 80 years old. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party said she died at 6:00 am, shortly after Fajr prayers.
Doctors said Khaleda Zia had been suffering from advanced liver cirrhosis along with diabetes, arthritis, and heart and chest problems.
Despite years of poor health and imprisonment, she had vowed in November to campaign for elections scheduled in February 2026.
Her condition worsened in late November and she was rushed to hospital, where she remained until her death.
Interim leader Muhammad Yunus had earlier called her a “source of utmost inspiration for the nation” and urged people to pray for her recovery. BNP leaders also confirmed her death to international media.
A dominant figure in Bangladesh politics
Khaleda Zia entered politics after the assassination of her husband, former president Ziaur Rahman, in 1981. She later led the BNP and became prime minister in 1991 after Bangladesh’s first widely accepted free election.
With this victory, she became the first woman to lead the country and one of the first female leaders in the Muslim world.
Her rivalry with Sheikh Hasina shaped Bangladesh’s politics for decades. The two leaders were often called the “battling begums” due to their long and bitter political conflict.
Khaleda lost power in 1996 but returned with a landslide victory in 2001. Her second term faced criticism over militancy and corruption allegations.
Tributes from Pakistan and beyond
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep sorrow over her death. He said Khaleda Zia was a “committed friend of Pakistan” and praised her service to Bangladesh.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also offered condolences.
Khaleda Zia’s son, Tarique Rahman, who recently returned from exile, is expected to lead the BNP into the 2026 elections. Khaleda Zia’s death marks the end of a defining chapter in Bangladesh’s political history.
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