BNP Chairperson and Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia Passes Away

BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia has passed away. She died at 6:00am on Tuesday (Bangladesh time) while undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in the capital.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) confirmed the news through its verified Facebook page. The statement said that the BNP chairperson and former prime minister, “Deshanetri” Begum Khaleda Zia, passed away shortly after the Fajr prayer at 6:00am. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un. The party prayed for the forgiveness of her soul and requested prayers from the public.

At the time of her death, Khaleda Zia was surrounded by close family members, including her elder son and BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman. Also present were Tarique Rahman’s wife Dr Zubaida Rahman, their daughter Zaima Rahman, and the wife of her late younger son Arafat Rahman Koko, Sharmila Rahman Sithi.

Among other relatives, her younger brother Shamim Eskandar and his wife, elder sister Selina Islam, and other family members were at the hospital in her final moments. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and members of the medical board overseeing her treatment were also present.

Following her death, the government has declared three days of state mourning from Wednesday to Friday (31 December and 1–2 January). In addition, Wednesday (31 December) has been declared a nationwide public holiday.

Cabinet Secretary Sheikh Abdur Rashid announced the decision while speaking to journalists at the Secretariat on Tuesday.

Begum Khaleda Zia holds a unique record in Bangladesh’s parliamentary history, having never lost an election in any constituency she contested. From 1991 to 2008, she won every seat she ran for. In 2011, the New Jersey State Senate of the United States honored her with the title “Fighter for Democracy” for her contributions to democratic governance.

In 2018, she was sentenced to prison in a controversial verdict. International and domestic legal experts described the case as politically motivated, and Amnesty International raised concerns over the transparency of the trial. After the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government during the July 2024 mass uprising, Khaleda Zia was acquitted in all cases one by one.

The former prime minister had long been suffering from multiple health complications, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, and diabetes. She also had chronic conditions affecting her kidneys, lungs, heart, and eyesight.