Bangladesh Mourns Khaleda Zia, Nation’s First Female Prime Minister
Three-Day State Mourning Declared for Khaleda Zia’s Funeral
Bangladesh’s first female prime minister, Begum Khaleda Zia, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 80 after a prolonged illness, her party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), confirmed. Doctors said she had been battling advanced cirrhosis of the liver along with arthritis, diabetes, and heart and chest complications.
In a statement, the BNP described her as a “national leader” and announced her death at 6:00am, shortly after Fajr prayers. Interim leader Muhammad Yunus mourned her loss, calling her “a great guardian” whose leadership repeatedly freed the nation from undemocratic conditions. Former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, ousted last year, also offered prayers for Zia’s soul through a message shared by her banned Awami League party.
Solarizing Zindagi Trust’s Digital Arts Lab in Karachi
Despite years of ill health and imprisonment, Khaleda Zia had vowed as recently as November to contest the upcoming February 2026 elections, the first since the mass uprising that toppled Hasina. Her BNP is widely regarded as a frontrunner. However, her condition deteriorated in late November, leading to hospitalization where doctors could not reverse the decline.
Zia, jailed for corruption in 2018 under Hasina’s government, was barred from seeking medical treatment abroad. She was released last year following Hasina’s removal from power. In honor of her legacy, Bangladesh has declared three days of state mourning. Her funeral will be held Wednesday in front of parliament after midday prayers, with burial alongside her late husband, former president Ziaur Rahman. Interim leader Yunus has appealed for calm and discipline during the mourning period, urging citizens to show patience and unity while paying their respects.
