Bangladesh declares three days of mourning after the death of Khaleda Zia at the age of 80. Tarique Rahman says, "Her Resilience Was Not Loud, But It Was Unbreakable"

The first female prime minister of Bangladesh, Khaleda Zia, passed away in 2025 at the age of 80. Tarique Rahman paid tribute to her "resilience unbreakable"; there will be a three-day national mourning and a funeral tomorrow next to her husband's grave. REAL BREAKING NEWS has the most recent information about the death of the BNP leader.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party chief and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. File | Photo Credit: AP

Begum Khaleda Zia, the former prime minister and chairwoman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), passed away on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, marking the end of an unstable time in Bangladesh's political history. The 80-year-old leader, who was fighting an ongoing illness for years, died at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka at around six in the morning, just after the Fajr prayer. In an emotional statement, the BNP acknowledged the news, saying, "Our beloved national leader is no longer with us."

On November 23, Khaleda Zia, the first female prime minister of Bangladesh and an important component in the nation's democratic movement, was brought to the hospital due to complications from a lung infection that developed into pneumonia. Her doctors found that she had diabetes, arthritis, heart problems, advanced liver cirrhosis, and other age-related conditions. Her condition worsened in recent weeks despite receiving extensive care from a team of domestic and foreign experts.

On social media, her son, BNP Interim Chairman Tarique Rahman, who had just returned from prison on December 25, posted a heartfelt tribute. He said, "Her resilience was not loud, but it was unbreakable," considering her dedication in the face of political oppression and personal disasters. Rahman characterized his mother as the "Mother of Democracy" to the country—a representation of unshakable leadership against dictatorship—while to her family, she was a loving, caring protector who gave her all for the nation. He mentioned the great losses she suffered, such as the murder of her younger son, Arafat Rahman Koko, and the killing of her husband, President Ziaur Rahman, in 1981. She lost her husband and her child for the sake of the nation. This country and its citizens became her family in that loss," he continued.

Professor Muhammad Yunus, the chief adviser to the interim government, declared a public holiday on December 31, the day of her funeral, and three days of national mourning beginning on Wednesday. Yunus talked about Zia in an interview on television as a "great guardian" whose contributions to people's rights and multi-party democracy will go on in history. During the time of grief, he advised everyone to remain committed to discipline and harmony.

On Wednesday after Zohr, Khaleda Zia will be buried next to her husband's grave in Zia Udyan in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, following funeral prayers at the Parliament's South Plaza. The BNP has announced a seven-day party mourning period, using black flags and badges as grieving symbols.

For many years, Zia ruled Bangladeshi politics as one of the "battling begums" alongside her greatest opponent Sheikh Hasina. She became the nation's first female prime minister in 1991 after leading the BNP to victory. She held the position from 2001 to 2006. Although her final years were stained by corruption proceedings that were seen by many as politically motivated, she spent time behind bars until her release following Hasina's victory in 2024. Her legacy includes the restoration of multi-party democracy following military control. Zia had declared her intention to run in the February 2026 elections after being found not guilty in her last case earlier this year.

Leaders from all around the world, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, paid tribute to her, emphasizing her contribution to the development of modern day Bangladesh. The country stops to consider a life characterized by determination, selflessness, and an unshakable struggle for democracy as masses assemble outside the hospital and her Gulshan home.

During this time of great loss, REAL BREAKING NEWS offers its sincere condolences to her family, the BNP, and the people of Bangladesh. Follow us for updates on the funeral and responses.