Bangladesh’s first feminine prime minister Khaleda Zia has died following a chronic sickness, her political get together has stated.
Ms Zia led the nation as head of the Bangladesh Nationalist Celebration (BNP) from 1991 to 1996, and once more from 2001 to 2006.
Throughout her years out and in of energy, the nation’s politics got here to be outlined by her bitter feud with rival Sheikh Hasina.
The 2 girls alternated between authorities and opposition – and Ms Zia served time in jail over corruption expenses, however was acquitted earlier this 12 months.
Pic: AP Photograph/Saurabh Das 2008
The BNP introduced her demise in posts shared on social media on Tuesday.
She had been affected by ailing well being lately, together with superior cirrhosis of the liver, arthritis, diabetes, and chest and coronary heart issues, medical doctors stated.
At the start of 2025 she travelled to London for medical remedy, staying for 4 months earlier than returning dwelling.
Earlier than her profession in politics, Ms Zia was a spouse and mom dedicated to elevating her two sons, till her husband, army chief after which president Ziaur Rahman, was assassinated in an tried military coup in 1981.
She turned head of the BNP, based by her husband, three years later, and vowed to ship on his intention of “liberating Bangladesh from poverty and financial backwardness”.
Sheikh Hasina, pictured in 2019, adopted Ms Zia as prime minister. File pic: AP
On the time, each she and Ms Hasina led a preferred rebellion for democracy that toppled army ruler Hussain Muhammad Ershad in 1990.
The next 12 months, Bangladesh held what was hailed because the nation’s first free election – with Ms Zia successful a shock victory over Ms Hasina, changing into the nation’s first feminine prime minister, and years of bitter rivalry starting.
In 2018, when Ms Hasina was in energy, Ms Zia and aides had been convicted of stealing some $250,000 in international donations obtained by an orphanage belief arrange throughout her second time period as prime minister.
She was jailed however moved to deal with arrest on humanitarian grounds in March 2020, as her well being deteriorated.
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Ms Hasina, who led the nation from 1996 to 2001 and once more from 2009 to 2024, was ousted in a mass uprising and fled the country in August 2024 – and Ms Zia was free of home arrest.
Earlier this 12 months, she was acquitted by Bangladesh’s Supreme Court docket.
Although Ms Zia had been out of energy for nearly 20 years, she and her get together continued to command a lot assist.
The BNP is seen because the frontrunner to win the following parliamentary election set to happen in February – and her eldest son and appearing chairman of the get together, Tarique Rahman, 60, is broadly seen as a powerful candidate to turn out to be prime minister.
