She died at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka at 6am local time on Tuesday after a prolonged illness. Khaleda had been suffering from multiple health conditions, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes and heart-related complications.
In a statement, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party expressed deep grief over her death, describing her as a beloved national leader and urging supporters to pray for her soul.
Khaleda was admitted to hospital on November 23 with a lung infection and had remained in critical condition. In her final days, Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus appealed to the public to pray for her, calling her a source of inspiration for the nation.
Her political career was shaped by personal tragedy. Khaleda entered politics after her husband, former president Ziaur Rahman, was assassinated in 1981 during a failed military coup. At the age of 35, she assumed leadership of the BNP amid political instability.
She served as prime minister twice, from 1991 to 1996 and again from 2001 to 2006, becoming one of the most influential figures in Bangladesh’s modern political history. Her career was marked by intense rivalry with Sheikh Hasina, leader of the Awami League.
In 2018, Khaleda was convicted in corruption cases, leading to her imprisonment and restrictions on travelling abroad for medical treatment. She was released in 2023 following Sheikh Hasina’s exit from office.
Khaleda Zia’s death marks the end of an era in Bangladeshi politics. Her son, Tarique Rahman, who returned to the country after 17 years in self-imposed exile, is expected to lead the BNP in the February 2025 general elections.
