Bangladesh’s first female prime minister and opposition leader Khaleda Zia died on Tuesday after a prolonged illness, her party said. She was 80.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) said Khaleda Zia passed away at 6:00am local time, shortly after the Fajr prayer. Doctors said she suffered from advanced liver cirrhosis, diabetes, arthritis, and heart and chest complications.
Tributes poured in from across the political spectrum. Interim leader Muhammad Yunus called her “a great guardian” of Bangladesh. Ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina also expressed condolences, despite decades of bitter rivalry.
A Life at the Centre of Bangladesh’s Politics
Khaleda Zia entered politics after the assassination of her husband, President Ziaur Rahman, in 1981. She later took charge of the BNP and emerged as a key figure in Bangladesh’s democratic movement.
She joined hands with Sheikh Hasina to overthrow military ruler Hossain Mohammad Ershad in 1990. Their alliance later collapsed, giving rise to the rivalry that defined Bangladeshi politics for decades.
In 1991, Khaleda won a surprise election victory and became Bangladesh’s first female prime minister. She restored the parliamentary system, promoted foreign investment, and made primary education free.
She returned to power in 2001 but faced allegations of corruption and criticism over rising militancy.
Imprisonment, Release, and Final Years
Authorities jailed Khaleda in 2018 on corruption charges under Hasina’s government. She spent years in prison and later under house arrest as her health worsened.
She regained freedom after Hasina’s removal in 2024. Despite illness, Khaleda pledged to campaign for elections scheduled for February 2026.
Bangladesh has declared three days of state mourning. Officials will hold her funeral prayers outside parliament before burying her beside her husband.
Leaders from Pakistan, India, and other countries paid tribute, describing her as a consequential and enduring political figure.
