Who Was Khaleda Zia? Bangladesh’s First Woman Prime Minister Dies at 80

Bangladesh's former prime minister and senior opposition leader Khaleda Zia passed away early Tuesday morning after a prolonged illness. She was 80.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party confirmed that its chairperson died at 6 am while undergoing treatment at Apollo Hospital, where she had been admitted for over a month.

A towering figure in the country's political history, Khaleda Zia was Bangladesh's first woman prime minister and remained one of its most influential leaders for decades.

BNP confirms death, appeals for prayers

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party announced her death in an official statement issued early Tuesday.

"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.

"We pray for the forgiveness of her soul and request everyone to offer prayers for her departed soul," the statement added.

Prolonged hospitalisation and declining health

Khaleda Zia had been hospitalised for 36 days after being admitted on November 23 with serious infections affecting her heart and lungs. Doctors monitored her condition closely as her health remained fragile throughout the treatment period.

She had been battling several chronic ailments for years, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis and diabetes, along with long-standing complications involving her kidneys, lungs, heart and eyesight.

Medical board oversaw treatment

Her care was supervised by a specialised medical board led by cardiologist Shahabuddin Talukder. The team included experts from Bangladesh as well as specialists from the United Kingdom, the United States, China and Australia, reflecting the seriousness of her condition.

Despite extensive medical efforts, her health showed limited improvement during the hospital stay.

Plan to seek treatment abroad did not materialise

Earlier this month, there were discussions about taking Khaleda Zia overseas for advanced treatment. However, doctors advised against moving her due to her extremely weak condition, and the plan was eventually shelved.

Her death marks the end of an era in Bangladesh politics, with tributes and reactions expected from across the political spectrum in the coming hours.