Bangladesh’s first female Prime ‌Minister, Khaleda Zia, died after a prolonged illness, her opposition ⁠Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) said on ⁠Tuesday (December 30, 2025). “The BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister, the national leader Begum Khaleda Zia, passed away today at 6:00 a.m., just after the Fajr (dawn) prayer,” the party said in a statement. Also read: End of an era as Bangladesh ex-PM Zia diesKhaleda Zia, aged 80, had ‌advanced cirrhosis ‌of the liver, arthritis, ‍diabetes, chest ‍and heart problems, her doctors said. Khaleda Zia, a dominant figure for decades in the South Asian country’s turbulent power struggles, had vowed to run in elections next year, the first since a mass uprising toppled her arch-rival. The External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, will represent the Government and people of India at the funeral of Begum Khaleda Zia, former Prime Minister of Bangladesh and Chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party.

Source: bd News24 December 30, 2025 10:57 UTC