Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh's First Female PM, Passes Away at 80

• Begum Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh's first female Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson, passed away at 80 after a prolonged illness.
• She served two terms as PM (1991-1996, 2001-2006), leading the BNP after her husband Ziaur Rahman's assassination in 1981.
• Zia was a symbol of female political leadership in South Asia, known for her rivalry with Sheikh Hasina and her controversial career.
• Convicted on corruption charges, she spent significant time in jail and under house arrest, later released for medical treatment.
• Her son, Tarique Rahman, recently returned from exile and is expected to assume leadership of the BNP, facing the challenge of uniting the party after Zia's unifying presence.

Why It Matters: Bangladesh mourns the loss of Khaleda Zia, a pivotal political figure and its first female Prime Minister.