Former Bangladesh PM Khaleda Zia passed away on December 30, succumbing to prolonged illness in Dhaka. The 80-year-old was battling multiple health issues, including advanced liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, lung infections and chest and heart complications. Khaleda Zia had been the chairperson and leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) since 1984.
Khaledia Zia is the first woman Prime Minister of India's eastern neighbour. She served as Prime Minister for two terms in 1991 and 2001, in coalition with the Jamaat-e-Islami party. Zia is the wife of former President Ziaur Rahman, who founded the BNP in 1978. Her arch-rival was Awami League party chief and former PM Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted from power in August 2024 after a mass uprising.