WASHINGTON / DHAKA, Bangladesh

Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia died at the age of 80 after a prolonged illness, her Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) announced Tuesday.

Zia, the country’s first female premier and the wife of Ziaur Rahman, a former president of Bangladesh and founder of the BNP, had long suffered from a series of health complications, including heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, liver cirrhosis and kidney problems.

She was admitted to Evercare Hospital in Dhaka on Nov. 23 after developing breathing difficulties. As her condition worsened, she was moved to the hospital’s critical care unit on Nov. 27.

Doctors treating her had described her condition as extremely critical. She was on life support and undergoing dialysis in recent days.

Bangladesh's chief advisor, Muhammad Yunus, in a condolence message, said that with Zia’s passing, the nation has lost a great guardian.

“I am deeply saddened and grief-stricken by her death,” he said.

She was not merely the leader of a political party but represented an important chapter in the history of Bangladesh, said Yunus, adding that considering her contributions, her long struggle and the deep public sentiment towards her, the government declared her a Very, Very Important Person of the State earlier this month.

Following the death of her husband, Zia entered politics in 1982. Her strong leadership played a decisive role in bringing down the nine-year-long autocratic rule of President Hussain Muhammad Ershad, Yunus recalled.

“Because of her political success, Khaleda Zia became a victim of extreme political vengeance. She was sentenced to 17 years in prison in false and fabricated cases and had to endure long periods of incarceration,” Yunus said.

Various political parties, including Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, also expressed their condolences over her demise.

Zia’s health had significantly worsened during her imprisonment under former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, whose government was ousted last year, according to the BNP. The party has alleged that Hasina restricted Zia’s access to adequate treatment and prevented her from traveling abroad for advanced medical care.

Zia was released from house arrest soon after Hasina fled to India in August last year. She travelled to the UK in January this year for treatment.

She was jailed in February 2018 for five years after being convicted of corruption charges and was released to house arrest in March 2020 due to her deteriorating health.

In January this year, Bangladesh’s Supreme Court acquitted Zia in the last corruption case against her, which would have let her run in February’s general election.

Zia was given the title of “uncompromising leader” in Bangladeshi politics. She spearheaded a sustained, nine-year-long mass movement against the military regime of Ershad and became the first female prime minister of Bangladesh in 1991.

She remained the primary symbolic and de facto opposition figure during much of Sheikh Hasina's 15-year rule.

Her son Tarique Rahman had been living in the UK since 2008 and returned home last week after 17 years of exile to see his mother and take responsibility for the party. He has said his return had been delayed due to security and political concerns, as criticism grew over his absence despite his mother’s critical condition.​​​​​​​