Begum Khaleda Zia, Former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Dies at 80
Sultanul Arefin 
BNP chairperson and former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia has died in Dhaka after a prolonged illness.
Her party confirmed that she passed away at Evercare Hospital on Monday morning, shortly after the Fajr prayer.
Long struggle with illness and medical treatment
Khaleda Zia had faced serious health problems for several years, including liver disease, kidney complications and heart issues.
She spent long periods in Evercare Hospital and earlier travelled to London in early 2025 for advanced treatment.
Doctors had repeatedly described her condition as critical in recent weeks.
Political legacy and years in power
Khaleda Zia was Bangladesh’s first female prime minister elected through a democratic transfer of power.
She led the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and served three terms as premier between 1991 and 2006.
Under her leadership, Bangladesh saw economic reforms but also intense rivalry with the Awami League.
From prison and protest to final months
In 2018 she was jailed on corruption charges, a move her party condemned as politically motivated.
She was later released on humanitarian grounds for medical reasons and remained effectively barred from active politics.
After the 2024 mass uprising that forced Sheikh Hasina from power, courts cleared Khaleda Zia of the graft cases, but her health continued to decline.
National mourning and family reactions
BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman, called his mother’s death “an irreparable loss” for the nation.
Leaders from across Bangladesh’s political spectrum have offered condolences and prayed for her soul.
Supporters gathered at BNP offices and in front of the hospital, chanting slogans and recalling her decades of political struggle.
Global response to Khaleda Zia’s passing
Regional and international media highlighted her role as one of South Asia’s most influential female leaders.
Foreign diplomats in Dhaka sent messages of sympathy to her family and to the BNP.
As a result, Bangladesh now enters a new political chapter without one of its central and most polarising figures.
featured image: Collected
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Suzan Seherin 
