Bangladesh mourns ex-PM Khaleda Zia with state funeralListen to this articleBangladesh's former prime minister Khaleda Zia was planning an election run despite years of ill health and imprisonmentDHAKA - Bangladesh bids farewell on Wednesday to former prime minister Khaleda Zia with a state funeral expected to draw vast crowds, mourning a towering leader whose career defined politics for decades. Zia, the first woman to serve as prime minister in the South Asian nation of 170 million people, died on Tuesday aged 80. "Khaleda Zia has been an inspiration," homemaker Sharmina Siraj told AFP, adding that "it is difficult to imagine women in leadership positions anytime soon". Suffering from a raft of health issues, Zia was rushed to hospital in late November, where her condition had gradually deteriorated despite treatment. Three-time prime minister Zia was jailed for corruption in 2018 under Hasina's government, which also blocked her from travelling abroad for medical treatment.

Source: Bangkok Post December 31, 2025 04:06 UTC