Former Bangladeshi prime minister passes away at 80

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, the 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.

Her 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.