First Female Prime Minister Of Bangladesh Khaleda Zia Passes Away. Who Was She?

The first female Prime Minister of Bangladesh died at the age of 80. Read here for more.

By Pragya Dubey Updated December 30, 2025 2:54 PM

First Female Prime Minister Of Bangladesh Khaleda Zia Passes Away. Who Was She?

Bangladesh is currently mourning the loss of its first female Prime Minister, Begum Khaleda Zia. She passed away at the age of 80 due to health-related issues. The news of her demise surfaced on December 30. According to the reports, Khaleda Zia passed away at around 6:00 a.m. Condolences have been pouring in for the family. And if you still don’t know about the politician, read on.

First Female Prime Minister Of Bangladesh Passes Away

The former chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Begum Khaleda Zia, took her last breath on December 30. She was admitted to the Evercare Hospital, Dhaka, as per BollywoodShaadis report, and was also put on ventilator due to deteoriating health. According to the reports, she was suffering from various age-related problems including pneumonia which unfortunately led to respiratory failure. Reportedly, she also suffered a chest infection, and she already had a pacemaker due to a weak heart. Apart from that, she was also dealing with kidney-related issues and chronic diabetis.

My mother, BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, has responded to the call of Almighty Allah and left us today. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un (Indeed, we belong to Allah, and to Him we shall return).

To many, she was the leader of the nation, an uncompromising leader, the… pic.twitter.com/bLsEtzYWgi

— Tarique Rahman (@trahmanbnp) December 30, 2025

Who Was Begum Khaleda Zia?

Khaleda Zia joined politics after her husband’s death. She took the Prime Minister’s seat in 1991 but her term did not last long due to political turmoil. However, she and her party again returned to power in 2001, and she served as the PM till 2006. However, later she along with her two sons were charged in a corruption case, and Khaleda Zia was sentenced to 17 years of imprisonment. However, she was granted freedom many times due to her health, and medical treatments. But she was not allowed any kind of political involvement as well.

Also Read: Former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina Sentenced To Death Over Deadly 2024 Student Protests

Another prominent female Prime Minister of Bangladesh is Sheikh Hasina.

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Picture Courtesy: X (Twitter)

First Published: December 30, 2025 2:54 PM

Pragya Dubey

Pragya Dubey is an introvert who prefers expressing herself through words. She believes in logical arguments and watches thrillers to escape the mundane realities of life!