Khaleda Zia passed away on 30 December at the age of 80. Meanwhile, many users are wondering if the former prime minister of Bangladesh was an Indian?
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader’s links to India were shaped by her birthplace, and family history.
Bangladesh’s first female prime minister was born as Khaleda Khanam Putul on 15 August 1945 in Jalpaiguri. It is now a major city in the northern part of West Bengal. Back then, it was a part of Bengal Province in British India.
Her father, Iskandar Ali Majumder, worked in the tea business and belonged to Feni. The city now belongs to the Chittagong Division in Bangladesh.
Her mother, Taiyaba Majumder, was born in Chandbari village. It is now in the Uttar Dinajpur district of West Bengal. After the Partition in 1947, her family moved to Dinajpur, which later became part of independent Bangladesh.
Khaleda Zia’s cause of death
Khaleda Zia’s death was caused by several serious health problems that had worsened over the years. She was admitted to Evercare Hospital in Dhaka on 23 November with severe breathing trouble due to a lung infection.
This later turned into pneumonia and led to respiratory failure, forcing doctors to put her on a ventilator. She also had advanced liver cirrhosis, which had affected her for a long time.
Her condition was further weakened by diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, kidney issues and heart disease. Zia had a pacemaker and earlier heart stents. The chest infection put heavy stress on her heart. She had been receiving treatment in the UK before returning to Bangladesh in May.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir earlier confirmed Zia’s critical condition.
“She is extremely unwell. The entire nation is praying for her recovery… She is seriously ill, and our doctors are making every possible effort. Local and foreign specialists are involved in her treatment. They are trying their best,” Bangladeshi news publication The Business Standard quoted Alamgir as saying.
“Khaleda Zia’s condition is extremely critical. She is being kept on life support and is now receiving regular dialysis,” the publication quoted medical board member Dr Ziaul Haque as saying.
