Khaleda Zia, a veteran leader of Bangladesh politics and the country’s first woman Prime Minister, died on Tuesday (30 December 2025) at the age of 80. His party Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) issued an official statement confirming this news. Khaleda Zia was suffering from serious diseases for a long time and was undergoing treatment in a private hospital in Dhaka.
According to BNP, Khaleda Zia was suffering from liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, chest and heart related diseases. His condition had remained critical for a long time and he was kept under the observation of specialist doctors. Ultimately he breathed his last during treatment.
Who was Khaleda Zia?
Khaleda Zia was born in 1946 in Jalpaiguri, West Bengal, which was then part of the undivided Dinajpur district. She made a strong mark in the politics of Bangladesh and became the Prime Minister of the country three times after 1991. She was the first woman of Bangladesh to be democratically elected Prime Minister.
Also read: Former Bangladesh PM Khaleda Zia is no more, breathed her last at the age of 80
