Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh’s first woman Prime Minister, dies at 80

Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh’s first woman Prime Minister and a senior leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), died on Tuesday following a prolonged illness, the party confirmed. She was 80 and had been suffering from multiple age-related conditions, including advanced liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, and complications affecting her chest and heart, her doctors said.

Zia had been receiving treatment for the past 36 days after being admitted on November 23 with infections affecting her heart and lungs. She was also suffering from pneumonia, according to the Bangladeshi daily The Daily Star. “The BNP Chairperson and former prime minister, the national leader Begum Khaleda Zia, passed away today at 6:00 am, just after the Fajr (dawn) prayer,” the party said in a statement.

At the time of her death, her eldest son and BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, his wife Dr. Zubaida Rahman, granddaughter Zaima Rahman, younger son’s wife Sharmili Rahman Sithi, younger brother Shamim Eskander and his wife, elder sister Selina Islam, other family members, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, and members of the medical board were present at the hospital.

More from World

How persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh serves Yunus regime’s electoral calculus With Tarique Rahman's return, can BNP return to power in Bangladesh?

The schedule for the funeral prayer (Janaza) of the deceased Begum will be announced later, according to a statement issued by Shamsuddin Didar, BNP Chairperson’s Press Wing Officer.

The first female prime minister of Bangladesh, Zia had long been battling multiple health complications, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, and chronic conditions affecting her kidneys, lungs, heart, and eyes. Her treatment was supervised by specialist doctors from Bangladesh, the UK, the US, China, and Australia. Earlier this month, efforts were made to take her abroad for further treatment, but the plan could not be pursued due to her fragile condition.