DHAKA – Begum Khaleda Zia, the first female Prime Minister of Bangladesh and a towering figure in the nation’s political history, passed away early Tuesday morning. She was 80.

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The Chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) breathed her last at approximately 6:00 AM local time at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka. According to a party statement, Zia had been battling a multitude of chronic health issues, including advanced liver cirrhosis, diabetes, and heart complications.

A Life of Political Grit

Khaleda Zia’s political journey began in the shadow of tragedy following the 1981 assassination of her husband, President Ziaur Rahman. Rising to lead the BNP, she became a symbol of resistance against military rule in the 1980s.

She made history in 1991 by becoming Bangladesh’s first woman Prime Minister, a role she would hold for three terms (1991–1996 and 2001–2006). Her tenure was defined by her “uncompromising” stance on national sovereignty and her fierce, decades-long rivalry with Sheikh Hasina—a political duo often referred to as the “Battle of the Begums.”

Final Years and Legacy

Zia’s final years were marked by legal battles and failing health. After being jailed for corruption in 2018 under the Awami League government, she was later moved to house arrest. She was fully freed in August 2024 following the ouster of Sheikh Hasina and was recently acquitted of all charges by the Supreme Court in early 2025.

Her death comes just weeks before the general elections scheduled for February 2026. Her son and political heir, Tarique Rahman, recently returned from a 17-year exile to lead the party in her absence.

National Mourning

The BNP has announced seven days of official mourning, during which black flags will be hoisted at party offices across the country.

Interim leader Muhammad Yunus expressed his condolences, calling her a “great guardian” of the nation. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also paid tribute, noting her “important contributions toward the development of Bangladesh and India-Bangladesh relations.”

Quick Facts: Khaleda Zia (1945–2025)

• First Term: 1991 (First female PM of Bangladesh).

• Total Terms: 3.

• Key Achievement: Reintroduced the parliamentary system of government in 1991.

• Survivor: Survived by her son, Tarique Rahman.