Begum Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh’s first woman Prime Minister, passes away in Dhaka
Dhaka: Begum Khaleda Zia, the first woman Prime Minister of Bangladesh and a towering figure in the country’s politics, passed away early Tuesday after a prolonged illness. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader breathed her last at Evercare Hospital in the capital Dhaka, sources confirmed. She was 79.
Khaleda Zia had been battling multiple health complications for several years. She was admitted to Evercare Hospital on November 23 after her condition deteriorated due to heart and respiratory ailments.
Doctors treating the former Prime Minister for the past 36 days announced that she died at around 6 am on December 30, despite intensive medical care. In an official statement, the BNP confirmed her death and paid tribute to its longtime leader.
“BNP Chairperson, former Prime Minister and national leader Begum Khaleda Zia passed away today at 6 am. We pray for the peace of her soul and request people across the country to pray for her,” the party said.
Khaleda Zia holds a unique place in Bangladesh’s political history as the country’s first woman Prime Minister. She served as Prime Minister twice, first from 1991 to 1996 and later from 2001 to 2006, leading Bangladesh through crucial phases of democratic transition.
As the chairperson of the BNP, she was for decades one of the two most dominant political figures in the country, alongside Awami League leader Sheikh Hasina.
Her political journey, however, was marked by intense rivalry, frequent confrontations, and legal battles. In 2018, Khaleda Zia was sentenced to prison in a corruption case, a development that significantly altered the political landscape of Bangladesh.
She remained incarcerated until 2020, when the government granted her release on humanitarian grounds, considering her age and deteriorating health. Following her release, she gradually withdrew from active politics and made only limited public appearances.
Khaleda Zia had been suffering from chronic ailments including liver cirrhosis and diabetes, in addition to cardiac and respiratory problems. Over the years, she underwent treatment in several countries, including Bangladesh, the United Kingdom, the United States, China, and Australia, as her health continued to decline.
Her death comes at a politically significant time for the BNP. Recently, her son Tarique Rahman returned to Bangladesh after years of self-imposed exile in the UK.
He had left the country nearly 17 years ago amid political turmoil and legal challenges. Tarique Rahman is now set to lead the BNP into the next phase, including preparations for the general elections scheduled for February 2026.
Political leaders, party workers, and supporters across Bangladesh expressed grief over Khaleda Zia’s demise, remembering her as a resilient leader who played a central role in shaping the nation’s democratic politics. Tributes are also expected from international leaders, given her long-standing presence in South Asian politics.
With Khaleda Zia’s passing, Bangladesh has lost one of its most influential and controversial political figures. Her legacy, defined by both governance and confrontation, will continue to be debated, even as the country enters a new political chapter without one of its most familiar faces.
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