US EditionBangladesh's first female prime minister, Khaleda Zia, dies at 80
Khaleda Zia died at 80 after 36 days in hospital with chronic illnesses, including liver cirrhosis and diabetes, amid longstanding political rivalry and legal battles.
- On December 30, 2025, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party announced Khaleda Zia died at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka at 6.00 a.m., just after the Fajr prayer.
- Admitted on November 23, Khaleda Zia, BNP chairperson and former prime minister, had 36 days of treatment for infections and was placed on ventilator support on December 11; plans to transfer her abroad were abandoned as she was too unstable.
- Having served as prime minister, Khaleda Zia was Bangladesh's first woman in the role from 1991 and 2001 and remained BNP chairperson until her death.
- The BNP posted on Facebook `Our beloved national leader is no longer with us.` and interim leader Muhammad Yunus called her a `source of utmost inspiration for the nation` while doctors declared her dead, the party said.
- Her long rivalry with Sheikh Hasina defined Bangladeshi politics, and Zia was released in 2024 after a student-led uprising ousted Hasina, shifting the 2026 election context.
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74 Articles
Khaleda Zia had declared herself ready to run for election in Bangladesh in February. She died on Tuesday after a long illness.
Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh’s first female prime minister, dies at 80 after prolonged illness
Bangladesh’s first female prime minister, Khaleda Zia, died after a prolonged illness, her opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) said on Tuesday. Khaleda, aged 80, had advanced cirrhosis of the liver, arthritis, diabetes, chest and heart problems, her doctors said. “The BNP chairperson and former prime minister, the national leader Begum Khaleda Zia, passed away today at 6:00am (0000 GMT), just after the Fajr prayer,” the party said in a…
Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh's first female Prime Minister, has passed away at the age of 80 after a long battle with illness, marking the end of a decade-long political rivalry with former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Khaleda Zia dies: Life, legacy and rule of Bangladesh’s first woman prime minister explained
Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh's first female PM, passed away at 80, leaving behind a complex legacy in a politically polarised nation. Her journey from a widow to a powerful political figure shaped Bangladesh's history.
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