Begum Khaleda Zia, Chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, has passed away. She breathed her last at 6:00 am on Tuesday (December 30) while undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka. She was 80 years old at the time of her death.

The news of her passing was confirmed by BNP Media Cell officials and later announced through the party’s official platforms. Details regarding her funeral prayers (janaza) and burial will be announced in due course, according to party sources.

Begum Khaleda Zia had been suffering from multiple age-related complications for a long time, including heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, liver cirrhosis, kidney disorders, and respiratory problems. She was admitted to Evercare Hospital on November 23 after experiencing severe breathing difficulties. Following a rapid deterioration of her physical condition, she was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), where she remained under close medical supervision by a board of local and foreign specialist doctors.

Born on August 15, 1945, in Dinajpur, Begum Khaleda Zia emerged as one of the most influential political figures in Bangladesh’s history. She served as the country’s Prime Minister three times, beginning in 1991, and holds the distinction of being Bangladesh’s first female Prime Minister and the second elected female head of government in the Muslim world.

After the assassination of her husband, President Ziaur Rahman, in 1981, she formally joined BNP and later became its Chairperson in 1984. Throughout her political career, Begum Khaleda Zia played a decisive role in shaping Bangladesh’s democratic movements and national politics. Notably, she never lost an election and was elected multiple times from different constituencies.

Her death marks the end of an era in Bangladeshi politics. Leaders across the political spectrum, party activists, and citizens from all walks of life have expressed deep sorrow over her passing, remembering her as a prominent leader whose influence will remain significant in the country’s political history.