Post Desk:  Begum Khaleda Zia, the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh and long-time chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has passed away at the age of 80, party officials confirmed early Tuesday morning – Inna lillahi wa Inna lillahi rajiun. She died around 6 a.m. on December 30, 2025, while undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka, according to official media releases and verified statements from the BNP Media Cell.

Zia was Bangladesh’s first female prime minister, serving three terms and shaping national politics for decades as a central opposition figure. Her political career was marked by fierce rivalry with the Awami League and a pivotal role in the country’s competitive party system.

Her health had been in decline due to chronic medical issues, and she had been hospitalized in critical condition in late November.

The leadership of the BNP and national offices are expected to issue formal statements. This development is likely to have immediate reverberations across Bangladesh’s political landscape, particularly with general elections approaching in February and ongoing tensions following recent shifts in party leadership.