Former Bangladesh PM Khaleda Zia Passes Away at 80

Dhaka, Dec 30: Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, whose decades-long rivalry with Sheikh Hasina shaped the nation’s political landscape, died on Tuesday at the age of 80, her party said in a statement.

Zia had been battling multiple corruption cases, which she maintained were politically motivated. In January 2025, the Supreme Court acquitted her in the final pending case, clearing the way for her potential participation in the February elections. She returned to Bangladesh in May after receiving medical treatment in the United Kingdom.

Earlier in January, the country’s interim government permitted Zia to travel abroad after her requests had been rejected at least 18 times during Hasina’s tenure. The decision marked a significant shift amid changing political circumstances.

Zia was the widow of President Ziaur Rahman, who was assassinated during a military coup in 1981. Following his death, she emerged as a key political figure and played a pivotal role in mobilising a mass movement that led to the fall of military rule in 1990.

She first assumed office as prime minister in 1991 and served a second term from 2001. Her principal political opponent in that election and several others was Sheikh Hasina. (Agencies)