Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia has died in Dhaka after a long illness. She was 80 years old. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which she led for many years, said she passed away at 6 am on Tuesday while undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital.
Khaleda Zia had been in hospital for the past 36 days. She was admitted on November 23 with infections in her heart and lungs. Reports from Bangladeshi media said she was also suffering from pneumonia and had been dealing with several long-term health problems, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes and kidney complications. Doctors from Bangladesh and abroad had been involved in her treatment, but her condition remained serious.
BNP, in a statement, paid tribute to her leadership and requested people to pray for her soul. The party described her as a national leader who had played an important role in the country’s political history. 
Khaleda Zia became the first female prime minister of Bangladesh when she won the national election in 1991. She went on to serve three terms in office. Her political journey formally began after that election, and over time she became one of the most prominent figures in the country’s politics.
In recent months, there had been efforts to take her abroad for advanced medical treatment. However, this could not happen because of her fragile health condition.
Khaleda Zia is survived by her elder son, Tarique Rahman, his wife, Zubaida Rahman, and their daughter, Zaima Rahman. Tarique Rahman recently returned to Bangladesh on December 25 after spending 17 years in exile. Her younger son, Arafat Rahman Koko, passed away earlier in Malaysia.
