DHAKA – Khaleda Zia, the former prime minister of Bangladesh, has passed away at the age of 80 after prolonged illness.
She breathed her last at a hospital in the capital, Dhaka, at 6 AM local time. Reports confirm that she had been battling several health conditions, including liver disease, and had been under medical care for a prolonged period.
In recent days, doctors had declared her condition critical, with a medical board member, Dr. Ziaul Haq, confirming that Khaleda Zia was placed on life support and undergoing regular dialysis.
According to Dr. Haq, whenever dialysis treatment was halted, her condition visibly worsened. The doctors explained that age factor and multiple complex health issues had made it impossible to treat all of her ailments simultaneously.
Khaleda Zia was one of Bangladesh’s most prominent political figures. She served as prime minister from 1991 to 1996, and again from 2001 to 2006, becoming the country’s first female head of government.
She also gained recognition in the Muslim world as the second female prime minister, after Pakistan’s Benazir Bhutto.
Khaleda Zia was the widow of Ziaur Rahman, the former president of Bangladesh. Throughout her political career, she faced corruption allegations and was sentenced to prison in 2018, serving a five-year term. Her rivalry with Sheikh Hasina, the leader of the Awami League, was well known and marked much of Bangladesh’s political landscape.
In recent weeks, Khaleda Zia’s son, Tarique Rahman, returned to Bangladesh after 17 years in exile. His return came at a significant time as the country approaches important national elections.
