President Offers Condolences on Passing of Bangladesh’s First Female Prime Minister

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu expressed his condolences to the people of Bangladesh following the death of their first female Prime Minister, Begum Khaleda Zia.

“My deepest condolences to the Government and the people of Bangladesh as the country mourns the loss of its first female Prime Minister, Begum Khaleda Zia. At this time of immense grief, may Almighty Allah grant strength and patience to the members of her bereaved family,” President Muizzu said on X.

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Khaleda Zia, a towering figure in Bangladesh’s politics, died at the age of 80 on Tuesday at 6am local time (00:00 GMT) after a prolonged illness, her party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), confirmed.

My deepest condolences to the Government and the people of Bangladesh as the country mourns the loss of its first female Prime Minister, Begum Khaleda Zia.

At this time of immense grief, may Almighty Allah grant strength and patience to the members of her bereaved family.…— Dr Mohamed Muizzu (@MMuizzu) December 30, 2025

“Our beloved national leader is no longer with us,” the BNP said. “We pray for the forgiveness of her soul and request everyone to offer prayers for her departed soul.”

According to Al Jazeera, her doctors had reported that the three-time prime minister suffered from advanced cirrhosis of the liver, arthritis, diabetes, and chest and heart problems.

The BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister, Begum Khaleda Zia, passed away today at 6:00 a.m., shortly after the Fajr prayer. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji‘un. We pray for the forgiveness of her soul and request everyone to offer prayers for her departed soul. pic.twitter.com/KY2948UPD5— Bangladesh Nationalist Party-BNP (@bdbnp78) December 30, 2025

Khaleda’s death closes a chapter spanning more than three decades during which she and her rival, Sheikh Hasina — known as the “battling begums” — dominated Bangladeshi politics. While Hasina now lives in exile in India following her removal from power and sentencing in absentia, Khaleda’s legacy remains deeply contested.

Both women fought for democracy and against authoritarianism. Khaleda, unlike Hasina, was never accused of carrying out mass atrocities against critics, but her tenure was marked by polarising politics, election boycotts, street movements, and recurring allegations of corruption. Her leadership inspired intense loyalty among supporters and equal distrust among critics.

Born on 15 August 1946 in Dinajpur, then part of India’s East Bengal, Khaleda married army officer Ziaur Rahman in 1960. Rahman later became president of Bangladesh and founded the BNP in 1978, paving the way for Khaleda’s prominent political career.

Her passing marks the end of an era in Bangladesh’s modern political history.