Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh's first female prime minister and an arch-rival of ousted leader Sheikh Hasina, has died from a prolonged illness. She was 80 years old.
Zia intended to run for parliament in February, when the country will vote for the first time since a popular revolution in late 2024 unseated Hasina.
Thrust into the political limelight following the assassination of her husband, then-president Ziaur Rahman, she became Bangladesh's first female PM in 1991. Her career was marked by a fierce rivalry with Hasina and periods of imprisonment and house arrest, particularly after she was acquitted of corruption charges.
Throughout her political career, Zia was known as an uncompromising leader, breaking through a male-dominated landscape and pushing for women's education and social development through her governance.
Despite being confined to the shadows of political life in her last years due to health issues, she remained a pivotal figurehead for the opposition, symbolizing the struggle for democracy and political representation. Her passing has left her supporters in mourning and many in the political sphere reflecting on her contributions to Bangladesh's democratic landscape.
Leaders including Bangladesh's interim leader Muhammad Yunus, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and others have been quick to express condolences, acknowledging the significant legacy Zia leaves behind.
