By Hammad Kahlun
Scandinavian News Finland
Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh’s first female prime minister, has died at the age of 80 after a long illness, her party confirmed on Tuesday.
She passed away early in the morning at a hospital in Dhaka, where she had been receiving treatment for several serious health problems.
Khaleda Zia served as prime minister twice and was the long-time leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
She became the country’s first woman prime minister in 1991 after the return of democracy.
Her political rivalry with Sheikh Hasina shaped Bangladesh’s politics for decades and deeply divided the nation.
In recent years, she suffered from liver disease, heart problems, diabetes, and other complications.
She had also received medical treatment abroad earlier this year.
Her death comes at a sensitive political time, with national elections expected soon.
Her son, Tarique Rahman, is seen as a key figure in the BNP.
Bangladesh has begun mourning one of its most powerful and historic political leaders.
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