Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia passes away
Nn online:
The long, turbulent and towering journey of Khaleda Zia — three-time former Prime Minister and Chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) — came to a solemn end on Tuesday morning at the age of 80.
The chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) breathed her last at 6am on Tuesday, according to AKM Wahiduzzaman, the party’s ICT Affairs Secretary and head of its Online Activists Network. Khaleda Zia had been receiving treatment at the Coronary Care Unit (CCU) of Evercare Hospital in Dhaka’s Bashundhara residential area since November 23.
The 80-year-old former prime minister has long been suffering from multiple health complications, including arthritis, diabetes, and ailments affecting her kidneys, liver, lungs, heart and eyes. She has been under medical care for these conditions for several years. Widow of slain President and BNP founder Ziaur Rahman, Khaleda Zia had long been woven into the fabric of Bangladesh’s political drama — its rises, ruptures, hopes, and hostilities.
Her final months were marked by an unrelenting battle against pneumonia, chronic lung infections and persistent cardiac complications. Even as her frail condition worsened, those close to her recall a woman who held on with the same resolve that once defined her political life.
For supporters, her passing marks the end of an era — a painful goodbye to a matriarch who shaped oppositional politics for decades. For others, it seals the chapter on a figure whose legacy will forever spark debate. But for Bangladesh, the departure of Khaleda Zia leaves behind a silence — one heavy with history, conf
“It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of our esteemed Chairperson,” Fakhrul said, his voice choked with emotion.
Khaleda Zia was admitted to Evercare Hospital on the night of November 23 on the advice of a medical board after being diagnosed with infections in her heart and lungs.
She had been nominated for three constituencies — Dinajpur-3, Feni-1 and Bogura-7 — for the upcoming 13th parliamentary election. Khaleda Zia’s death marks the end of an era in Bangladesh politics. She was known for her firm commitment to democracy and her significant contributions to national politics and governance.
She is survived by her eldest son Tarique Rahman, three granddaughters, and millions of supporters and admirers. Her long political career has left a lasting mark on Bangladesh’s political landscape and inspired generations.
Khaleda had long been suffering from liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, kidney, lung, heart and eye problems. Since her conditional release in 2020, she had been receiving regular treatment under a medical board led by cardiologist Prof Shahabuddin Talukder.
In June 2022, she suffered a heart attack caused by a 95 percent blockage in her left artery. A stent was placed to remove the blockage. Doctors detected two more blocks, but they could not be removed due to her fragile health.
On June 23, 2024, specialist doctors led by Prof Shahabuddin Talukder implanted a pacemaker in her chest.
During the Awami League government, her doctors repeatedly recommended sending her abroad after she was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis in November 2021. Despite the severity of her condition, she was not granted permission to travel, as the government cited legal complications relating to her convictions. On October 26, 2023, as her condition worsened, a group of US specialist doctors performed a TIPS procedure to stop water accumulation in her abdomen and chest and to prevent bleeding caused by liver complications.
On August 6, 2024, a day after the fall of the Awami League government, Khaleda Zia was fully freed through an order from President Mohammed Shahabuddin, clearing the way for her overseas treatment.
After a tearful reunion with her eldest son and BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman at London’s Heathrow Airport — their first meeting in more than seven years — she was taken directly to the London Clinic. She received treatment there for 17 days under a medical board led by liver specialist Professor John Patrick Kennedy.
After being discharged on January 25, she moved to Tarique Rahman’s residence, where she continued treatment under the supervision of Professors Kennedy and Jennifer Cross. She celebrated Eid in London with her family for the first time in more than six years.
On May 6, she returned home on a Qatari royal air ambulance, accompanied by her two daughters-in-law, including Dr Zubaida Rahman. The return followed nearly four months of advanced treatment in London and drew a large and emotional public reception. Since her return, Khaleda had been under the care of a medical board and her personal physicians at her Gulshan residence. She was also hospitalised at Evercare on several occasions.
Born on August 15, 1945, in Dinajpur, Khaleda Zia led a simple early life before her marriage to General Ziaur Rahman, who would later become President of Bangladesh. She played a supportive role during the 1971 Liberation War.
After Ziaur Rahman’s assassination in 1981, she entered politics. She became BNP Chairperson in 1984 and held the position for nearly four decades. She became a central figure in the movement against military ruler HM Ershad, earning wide respect for her steadfast and uncompromising commitment to democracy. Khaleda Zia became Bangladesh’s first female Prime Minister in 1991. On 20 March 1991,
She was sworn in as Bangladesh’s first female Prime Minister, marking a historic milestone in the country’s political history.
She played a key role in reintroducing the parliamentary system of government, replacing the presidential system. The 12th constitutional amendment, which she piloted, was passed by the Jatiya Sangsad on 6 August 1991, and Khaleda Zia took oath under the new parliamentary system on 19 September 1991.
During her first term (1991–1996), her government made significant progress in education, including introducing free and compulsory primary education, tuition-free schooling for girls up to class ten, stipends for female students, and the Food for Education program.
Her administration also promoted nationwide tree plantation campaigns and initiated the construction of the Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge. On the regional front, Khaleda Zia revitalised the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) by hosting a summit in Dhaka in 1993.
However, her first term was also marked by political challenges. Opposition parties, including the Awami League, Jatiya Party, and Jamaat-e-Islami, launched movements demanding a neutral caretaker government to oversee parliamentary elections, creating significant political unrest.
Khaleda Zia was re-elected for a second consecutive term after BNP’s victory in the 6th Jatiya Sangsad elections on 15 February 1996, although all major opposition parties boycotted the polls. To address demands for a caretaker system, the 6th Jatiya Sangsad passed the 13th constitutional amendment. Khaleda subsequently handed over power to a caretaker government on 30 March 1996. In the elections held under Justice Muhammad Habibur Rahman’s caretaker administration on 12 June 1996, the BNP was defeated by the Awami League. Between 1996 and 2001, she served as Leader of the Opposition.
In the October 1, 2001 election, held under a neutral caretaker government, Khaleda Zia’s BNP-led alliance won a landslide victory, and she took office as Prime Minister for the third time on October 10. During her third term, her government oversaw a significant rise in export earnings and remittances from Bangladeshi workers abroad.
The industrial and telecommunications sectors grew steadily, and foreign direct investment gradually increased. Her administration also took major steps to improve law and order, including launching Operation Clean Heart and creating the Rapid Action Battalion.
There was a strong crackdown on Islamic extremist groups, including the JMB and HUJI. Her administration faced ongoing criticism over allegations of corruption and political unrest. Khaleda Zia held the unique record of winning from five constituencies in different elections and never personally losing any seat. Khaleda Zia left office on 28 October 2006. In the subsequent Ninth Jatiya Sangsad election on 29 December 2008, held under the two-year caretaker government of Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed, her party won only 30 seats.
During the caretaker government period in 2007–2008, several corruption cases were filed against her. On September 3, 2007, she was arrested on corruption charges and spent nearly a year in detention before her release on September 11, 2008. After a heavy defeat in the December 2008 election, she again became Leader of the Opposition.
She continued her push for electoral reforms after the abolition of the caretaker system in 2011. Her political activities faced restrictions, including confinement to her house and office before the 2014 election, which BNP boycotted.
In 2014, her Gulshan office was blocked by sand trucks for weeks, limiting her ability to protest. She remained in her office for 92 days. During this time, she could not even attend the funeral of her younger son, Arafat Rahman Koko, due to arrest warrants issued in graft cases.
Her family members gradually moved abroad after 2008, leaving her largely isolated as she battled both legal and health challenges.
On February 8, 2018, she was jailed after being sentenced in the Zia Orphanage Trust case. The High Court later extended her sentence to 10 years, and she was also convicted in the Zia Charitable Trust case. She was released on March 25, 2020, on humanitarian grounds during the COVID-19 pandemic, but was restricted to her home and barred from leaving the country.
On August 6, 2024, Khaleda Zia was fully freed after President Mohammed Shahabuddin, exercising his authority under Article 49 of the Constitution, exempted her from all remaining sentences.
She made her first public appearance in six years at the Armed Forces Day reception at Senakunja on November 21, 2024, and attended the same event again this year, just two days before being admitted to hospital. Khaleda Zia is remembered as an uncompromising champion of democracy. In 1986, when major political parties joined the election under military ruler Ershad, she boycotted it, refusing to legitimise an autocratic regime.
Even when the army-backed government later tried to negotiate, offered her ways to return to power, and attempted to send her abroad, she firmly refused. She said Bangladesh was her only home and she would never leave her country or her people.
Her resolve was also clear in 2017. Although she could have stayed in the UK as convictions in what she described as “false cases” loomed, she returned to Dhaka knowing she would likely be jailed. Six months later, she indeed went to prison. Such decisions defined her character — a leader who never compromised on principles, never surrendered to authoritarian pressure, and never abandoned her people.
Khaleda Zia was an icon of unity, widely respected and accepted not only by the people but also by leaders across most political parties. During times of national crisis, she brought people together and guided the nation through challenging periods.
Her broad acceptance was evident when she was admitted to the hospital: leaders from numerous political parties visited to inquire about her condition, many publicly expressed concern, and offered prayers for her recovery. Social media was also flooded with messages and well-wishes, reflecting the deep respect and affection she commanded across the country.
Her journey of life — from a private homemaker to a defining figure in national politics — reflects her unwavering dedication to public service, even though personal tragedy, political turbulence and prolonged imprisonment. Her legacy will continue to shape Bangladesh’s democratic history.