Khaleda Zia, Former Bangladesh PM, Dies at 80 After Long Illness

• Khaleda Zia, two-time former Prime Minister of Bangladesh and BNP Chairperson, passed away at 80.
• She died on Tuesday morning, December 30, 2025, at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka after a prolonged illness.
• Zia suffered from multiple ailments including heart disease, diabetes, and lung problems, with her health continuously deteriorating.
• She was Bangladesh's first female Prime Minister, serving from 1991-1996 and 2001-2006, and the second female PM in the Muslim world.
• Her family, including son Tarique Rahman, and BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, were present at the hospital.

Why It Matters: Bangladesh mourns the passing of Khaleda Zia, a pivotal political figure and two-time former PM.