Khaleda Zia: Former Prime Minister of Bangladesh Khaleda Zia passed away, breathed her last at the age of 80.

Dhaka, 30 December. Former Prime Minister of Bangladesh and Chairperson of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Begum Khaleda Zia died on Tuesday morning at the age of 80 after prolonged illness. According to the statement issued by BNP, Khaleda Zia died at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka at around 6 am. He was undergoing treatment in the same hospital for more than a month.

BNP chairperson and former prime minister, national leader Begum Khaleda Zia passed away today just after 6 am prayers, the statement said. Party leaders and supporters expressed deep grief over his death and remembered him as a major political figure who played an important role in the modern political history of Bangladesh.

We pray for the peace of his soul and request everyone to pray for his soul, the party said. Khaleda Zia was admitted to a private hospital on November 23 after serious heart and lung problems. According to Bangladeshi media reports, she was also suffering from pneumonia in her last weeks. She remained under medical observation for 36 days and her condition was said to be critical.

In the last few years, the former Prime Minister was suffering from several chronic diseases, which included liver cirrhosis, diabetes, arthritis and chronic problems related to kidney, lungs, heart and eyes. His treatment was overseen by a multidisciplinary medical team that included experts from Bangladesh as well as doctors from the United Kingdom, the United States, China and Australia. This month there was discussion about sending him abroad for better medical care.

However, those plans were ultimately shelved after doctors’ advice, as doctors said his physical condition was too weak for international travel. Khaleda Zia, widow of former President Ziaur Rahman, created history by becoming the first woman Prime Minister of Bangladesh and held the post twice. She remained an important figure in national politics, and many of her supporters believed that she could play an important role in future elections. He is survived by his elder son, the party’s acting president Tariq Rehman, his wife Zubaida Rehman and his daughter Zaima Rehman.

Tariq Rahman returned to Bangladesh on 25 December after 17 years in exile. His younger son, Arafat Rahman Koko, had died in Malaysia several years earlier. Tributes poured in from party leaders, political allies and supporters, marking the end of an era in Bangladesh’s tumultuous political environment.