Bangladesh’s First Female PM Khaleda Zia Passes Away at 80

Begum Khaleda Zia, the Chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the country’s first female Prime Minister, passed away at the age of 80. She died at approximately 6:00 AM today, December 30, at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka. Her death was confirmed by Professor AZM Zahid Hossain and the BNP’s press wing.

At the time of her passing, she was surrounded by her family, including her elder son and BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman (attending virtually/represented by family), daughter-in-law Dr. Zubaida Rahman, and top party leaders including Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

Khaleda Zia’s health had deteriorated sharply over the last 24 hours. She had been on life support and receiving regular dialysis for complex complications involving her liver, kidneys, heart, and a recent lung infection. Despite the efforts of a dedicated medical board, her advanced age and multiple organ failures made further treatment unsustainable.

Born in 1946, Khaleda Zia entered politics following the assassination of her husband, President Ziaur Rahman, in 1981. She became the "uncompromising" face of the anti-autocracy movement in the late 1980s.

She served three terms as Prime Minister, overseeing Bangladesh's transition to a parliamentary democracy and the expansion of the RMG sector.

She was a vocal advocate on the global stage regarding the Rohingya crisis and the Ganges water-sharing dispute.

Her final years were marked by legal battles and imprisonment starting in 2018. Following a period of house arrest under executive orders, she was fully freed by President Mohammed Shahabuddin on August 6, 2024, following the recent change in government.

The BNP has scheduled a Standing Committee meeting at 12:00 PM today at the Gulshan office to discuss the funeral arrangements. The schedule for her janaza (funeral prayers) will be announced shortly.