Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh's First Female Prime Minister, Dies Aged 80
Khaleda Zia, the first female prime minister of Bangladesh, has died at the age of 80. She passed away on 30 December 2025 at 6:00 am, according to a statement from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
Khaleda Zia was a defining figure in Bangladesh politics, known for her long-standing rivalry with Sheikh Hasina that shaped the country's political landscape for a generation. She was married to President Ziaur Rahman, who was killed in a 1981 coup. Following this, she helped lead a mass movement that ousted the dictator in 1990.
She won her first term as prime minister in 1991 and served again from 2001, often contending against Hasina in multiple elections. In early January 2025, the interim government permitted her to travel abroad after the Hasina government had rejected her previous requests at least 18 times. She subsequently received medical treatment in the United Kingdom and returned to Bangladesh in May 2025.
In January 2025, the Supreme Court acquitted her of the last corruption case pending against her, clearing the way for a potential bid in the country’s February elections.
