Bangladesh Loses First Woman Prime Minister Khaleda Zia at Crucial Political Moment

Bangladesh just lost one of its biggest political figures. Begum Khaleda Zia, who was the former prime minister and head of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, died at 80 after dealing with a bunch of health problems for a long time. 

This happened on Tuesday, and it feels like the country is already dealing with so much uncertainty, especially with elections coming up in February 2026. Tensions are high right now.

The party put out a statement confirming she passed away at 6:00 a.m. in a hospital in Dhaka. She got admitted back on November 23 because things were really bad with her health, and then they had to put her on a ventilator. Doctors said it was extremely critical. I think that must have been tough for everyone close to her.

The BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister, Begum Khaleda Zia, passed away today at 6:00 a.m., shortly after the Fajr prayer. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji‘un. We pray for the forgiveness of her soul and request everyone to offer prayers for her departed soul. pic.twitter.com/KY2948UPD5

— Bangladesh Nationalist Party-BNP (@bdbnp78) December 30, 2025

They havent announced the funeral plans or any official events yet. Its kind of hanging in the air.

She was born in 1945 in what was then British India, in Jalpaiguri, but her family moved to Dinajpur after the Partition. Her life changed a lot when her husband, Ziaur Rahman, got assassinated in 1981. He had been the army chief and president, and founded the BNP in 1978. Before that, she stayed out of politics mostly.

Then she stepped in during all the chaos and took over the party in 1984. That started this whole new phase in Bangladeshs politics, where it was basically her against Sheikh Hasina from the Awami League for years. They kept switching power, and it got really intense.

In 1991, she became the first woman prime minister there through an election, which was a big deal, especially in the Muslim world as one of the early ones. Her first term brought back parliamentary democracy after the military stuff, and she set up this caretaker government for elections. That seemed important for fairness.

Her government did some economic changes too, like starting value added tax, reforming banks, and privatizing things. They also pushed for more education, especially for women. I might be oversimplifying, but it sounds like she tried to build things up.

She was in power briefly in 1996 and then again from 2001 to 2006. They talked about fighting corruption and extremism, but those problems stuck around and people criticized her for it.

Her rivalry with Hasina was the core of everything. It shaped how politics worked, sometimes stopping things from getting done, but also getting people involved. Some see it as good for participation, others as just messy.

After she left office, she got hit with corruption charges, and ended up in prison or house arrest for years. Her supporters say it was all political. That really messed with her health, on top of liver issues, heart problems, diabetes, kidney stuff, and arthritis.

Even when she was sick, she stayed a big symbol for the BNP and opposition. Her activity slowed down, but she was still central.

Now with her gone, the party has to figure out succession before the elections. Her son Tarique Rahman just came back after 17 years away. Hes been acting like the leader from abroad, but she was the one holding everyone together, especially the older folks and base supporters.

It puts a lot on him to keep things united and win votes. The election is February 12, so timing is everything.

She leaves behind Tarique, her younger son died in 2015. Over four decades, people admire her for breaking barriers as a woman leader in South Asia, but criticize the confrontational style too.

She even wanted to campaign despite being so ill, which shows how committed she was.

Bangladesh is heading into this next part of its democracy, and her death ends a long chapter. The legacy is mixed, still influencing how things go. It seems like it could stir up more tension.

Also Read: Khaleda Zia in “Very Critical” Condition, Supporters Urge Nation to Pray