ASIATODAY.ID, DHAKA — Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, the country’s first woman to lead the government and one of South Asia’s most influential political figures, has died at the age of 80.
She passed away on Tuesday at a hospital in Dhaka after a prolonged illness, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) confirmed.
Khaleda Zia served as prime minister twice, from 1991 to 1996 and again from 2001 to 2006, shaping Bangladesh’s post-military democratic era and standing for decades at the center of the country’s often turbulent politics.
Tributes poured in from home and abroad. Muhammad Yunus, chief adviser of Bangladesh’s interim government, said he was “deeply saddened and grief-stricken” by her passing, describing Zia as “an important chapter in the history of Bangladesh.”
“Despite political differences, her long political journey dedicated to national welfare, her people-oriented leadership, and her firm resolve always showed the way,” Yunus said.
Condolences were also expressed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, reflecting Zia’s stature beyond Bangladesh’s borders.
A towering but divisive figure
Beyond her premierships, Zia twice served as leader of the opposition and was Bangladesh’s first lady from 1977 to 1981, during the presidency of her husband, Ziaur Rahman. Rahman, the country’s sixth president and a key figure in its independence-era politics, was assassinated in a military coup in 1981.
A fierce rival of longtime Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Zia’s political life was marked by deep polarization. She faced multiple corruption cases during her career but was later acquitted by Bangladesh’s Supreme Court.
Death amid political uncertainty
Zia’s death comes at a delicate moment for Bangladesh. Just last week, her son Tarique Rahman, the acting chairman of the BNP, returned to Dhaka after nearly 17 years in exile and is widely seen as a major contender in the general elections scheduled for February.
Meanwhile, the country has been rocked by political violence and unrest. The National Citizen Party (NCP) — born out of protests that ousted Sheikh Hasina last year — recently announced an electoral alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami, triggering internal divisions and public backlash.
Tensions escalated further following the killing of Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent leader of the 2024 uprising. His murder sparked nationwide protests, anti-India chants, and riots, with demonstrators torching the offices of two major newspapers.
As Bangladesh navigates a volatile political transition, Khaleda Zia’s passing marks the end of an era — closing the chapter on one of the most consequential, controversial, and enduring figures in the country’s modern history. (AT Network)
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