Bangladesh's first female prime minister Khaleda Zia dies aged 80

Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh's first female prime minister and an arch-rival of ousted leader Sheikh Hasina, has died from a prolonged illness. She was 80 years old.

Zia intended to run for a third term as PM in February, when the country will vote for the first time since a popular revolution in late 2024 unseated Hasina.

Thrust into the political limelight following the assassination of her husband, then-president Ziaur Rahman, she went on to become Bangladesh's first female PM in 1991.

Her career, which included spells in prison and house arrest, was defined by a bitter feud with Hasina. She was acquitted of corruption and allowed to travel to London for treatment only after Hasina lost power.

Physicians said on Monday that Zia's condition was "extremely critical". She was put on life support, but it was not possible to provide multiple treatments at the same time given her age and overall poor health, they added.

"Our favourite leader is no longer with us. She left us at 6am this morning," Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) announced on Facebook on Tuesday.

When news of her death broke, crowds gathered outside Evercare Hospital in Dhaka where Zia had been admitted.

As the wife of Bangladesh's former president Rahman, Zi was a reserved presence alongside her famous husband. When he was killed in a military coup in 1981, Zia entered politics and went on to lead the BNP in the country's first elections in 20 years.

Known as an "uncompromising leader" after refusing to take part in a controversial election under military ruler General Hussain Muhammad Ershad in the 1980s, Zia broke through a male-dominated political landscape and transformed into one of Bangladesh's most formidable political leaders.

Her first term was widely praised for efforts to improve women's education and social development, with her government bringing back parliamentary democracy by amending the constitution with bipartisan support.

Her second term in 1996, which lasted only weeks, drew criticism for staging a one-sided election despite opposition demands for a neutral caretaker authority — a measure parliament approved before dissolving.

Zia returned as prime minister in 2001, stepping down in October 2006 ahead of a general election. Her administration faced sharp criticism over allegations of corruption.

Over the past 16 years, under the Awami League government, Zia became the most prominent symbol of resistance to Hasina's rule many saw as increasingly autocratic.

She boycotted the 2014 election after her rival Hasina scrapped the caretaker government system — a provision meant to ensure neutrality during national polls. Later, Zia was convicted on corruption charges and jailed. She denied wrongdoing and said the charges were politically motivated.

She was released in January 2025, soon after mass anti-government protests in Bangladesh toppled Hasina, forcing her into exile.

The BNP had said in November that Zia would campaign in the upcoming general elections. The party is eyeing a return to power, and if that happens, Zia's son Tarique Rahman is expected to become the country's new leader.

Rahman, 60, had only returned to Bangladesh last week after 17 years in self-imposed exile in London.

Zia had been in hospital for the past month, receiving treatment for kidney damage, heart disease and pneumonia, among other conditions.

Despite being kept away from public life due to her health, Zia remained a figurehead for opposition forces.

During her final days, interim leader Muhammad Yunus had called for the country to pray for Zia, calling her a "source of utmost inspiration for the nation".

In a statement on Tuesday, Yunus offered his condolences for the passing of Zia, whom he described as a "symbol of the democratic movement".

"The nation has lost a great guardian... Her role in the struggle to establish democracy, a multi-party political culture, and the rights of the people in Bangladesh will be remembered forever," he said in a statement.

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he is "deeply saddened" by Zia's passing and paid tribute to her contributions towards the development of Bangladesh, and its relations with India.

"We hope that her vision and legacy will continue to guide our partnership," he wrote on X.

Zia's family members, including Rahman, his wife and his daughter, were by her side in her last moments, BNP said.

"We pray for the forgiveness of her soul and request everyone to offer prayers for her departed soul," the party said in its statement on Tuesday.