Dhaka, Bangladesh — Bangladesh’s first female prime minister, Khaleda Zia, has died at the age of 80 after a prolonged illness, her party announced early Tuesday. The death of Khaleda Zia marks the end of a defining chapter in modern Bangladeshi politics and will shape discussions ahead of the country’s upcoming elections.
Zia passed away at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka around 6 a.m. local time, just after the Fajr prayer, according to a statement by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on social media. Doctors treating her cited complications from advanced liver cirrhosis, diabetes, arthritis, and heart and chest ailments as contributing factors to her deteriorating health.
Born on August 15, 1945, Khaleda Zia rose to prominence following the assassination of her husband, General Ziaur Rahman, a former president and founder of the BNP. She became party chairperson in the 1980s and later led Bangladesh to its first parliamentary democracy after years of military rule, winning elections in 1991 and 2001.
Her political legacy is deeply interwoven with a long-standing rivalry with Sheikh Hasina, leader of the Awami League. The two were popularly dubbed the “battling Begums,” and their decades-long competition defined much of Bangladesh’s political landscape.
In recent years, Khaleda Zia’s health crises and legal battles dominated headlines. She was acquitted of her final corruption charges earlier in 2025, opening the possibility of a political comeback. Despite frail health, she filed nomination papers for the February 2026 elections, a key next step for her party.
Her passing has drawn emotional reactions nationwide as Bangladesh reflects on her contributions and controversies. Leaders from across the political spectrum have offered condolences, while activists recall spirited campaigns and robust challenges to military and single-party rule.
In a moment of national reflection, some commentators have drawn unusual contrasts in timing and circumstances; for instance, in a tragic twist of fate, a coach passed away ahead of a scheduled match in a separate story that grabbed attention this week, a reminder of life’s fragility even beyond politics.
The death of Bangladesh’s first female prime minister Khaleda Zia closes a pivotal chapter but also sets the stage for dramatic political shifts in the months ahead.
