Khaleda Zia, Former Bangladesh PM and BNP Chief, Dies at 80

• Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh's two-time former Prime Minister and BNP chief, passed away at the age of 80 after a long illness.
• She was the first female Prime Minister of Bangladesh, serving from 1991-1996 and 2001-2006.
• Widow of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman, she took over party leadership after his 1981 assassination; her son Tarique Rahman now leads.
• Her political career was marked by intense rivalry with Sheikh Hasina, corruption convictions, and a period of house arrest.
• Her tenure was controversial, with allegations of encouraging extremists; she visited India twice as PM.

Why It Matters: Bangladesh mourns Khaleda Zia, a two-time PM whose political journey was influential and controversial.