Key Facts
• Born August 1945 in Dinajpur, Bengal under British India
• Entered politics in 1981 after husband, President Ziaur Rahman, was assassinated
• Became leader of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in 1984
• Served as Bangladesh’s first female prime minister twice: 1991–1996 and 2001–2006
• Lost 1996 election to Awami League (AL) led by Sheikh Hasina
• Visited Japan in 2005, met Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi
• Detained in 2007 during emergency rule amid anti-corruption crackdown
• Sentenced for corruption in 2018, imprisoned, released in 2020 due to health
• House arrest lifted in 2024 after Hasina government fell
• Died December 30, 2025, in Dhaka hospital at age 80, suffering from heart disease and other health issues
Summary
Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh’s first female prime minister and two-time head of government, died at 80 in Dhaka on December 30, 2025. Born in 1945 in British-ruled Bengal, she entered politics following the assassination of her husband, President Ziaur Rahman, in 1981. As leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, she led the country through two terms as prime minister, facing fierce rivalry with Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League. Her political career included a 2005 visit to Japan and detention during a 2007 anti-corruption crackdown. Convicted of corruption in 2018, she was imprisoned but released in 2020 due to health concerns. Her house arrest ended in 2024 after the fall of Hasina’s government. Zia’s death marks the end of a significant chapter in Bangladesh’s political history.
