DHAKA (Web Desk)
Khaleda Zia, the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh and leader of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has passed away at the age of 80 after a prolonged illness. She had been on a ventilator for several days due to severe liver complications, according to Bangladeshi media reports.
A medical board member, Dr. Zia-ul-Haq, stated that Khaleda Zia was on life support and regularly underwent dialysis. He explained that due to her advanced age and multiple complex illnesses, it was not possible to treat all her conditions simultaneously.
Khaleda Zia served as Bangladesh’s first female Prime Minister from 1991 to 1996 and played a key role in shaping the country’s politics. Her son, Tarique Rahman, had returned to Bangladesh only a few days earlier.
In Pakistan, President Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed their condolences, praising her political contributions and friendship with Pakistan. President Alvi stated that Khaleda Zia’s political services to Bangladesh would always be remembered with respect, while Prime Minister Sharif called her a symbol of service and development for Bangladesh and a sincere friend of Pakistan.