Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia Dies at 80

Former Bangladesh Prime Minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Khaleda Zia has died at the age of 80. She had been on a ventilator for the past 20 days. Khaleda Zia suffered from a range of health problems including chest infection, liver and kidney issues, diabetes, and eye ailments. Her death was confirmed by family members and party leaders. She served two terms as Bangladesh’s prime minister from 1991 to 1996 and from 2001 to 2006. She was the wife of former president Ziaur Rahman.

Her elder son and BNP executive chairman Tarique Rahman had been living in London since 2008 and returned to Bangladesh earlier this month. He was widely expected to become prime minister in the upcoming election. Her younger son Arafat Rahman died of a heart attack in 2015.