Former Bangladesh Begum Khaleda Zia Passes Away

Bangladesh’s Former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia passed away on Tuesday. She was 80.

Begum Khaleda was the first female prime minister of Bangladesh and is survived by her sons Tarique Rehman and Arafat Rehman.

Begum Khaleda had been pushed into Bangladesh politics after her husband, Bangladesh President Ziaur Rahman was assassinated in a military mutiny in Chattogram on May 30, 1981.

Begum Khaleda’s son Tarique Rehman (60), the executive chairman of Bangladesh Nationalist Party had a few days back come back to Bangladesh after a 17-year self-exile.

Begum Khaleda had been suffering from multiple illness for a long time. She had ‌advanced cirrhosis ‌of the liver, arthritis, ‍diabetes, chest ‍and heart problems.

General elections in Bangladesh are scheduled for February next year and political parties are all gearing up in the backdrop of a troubled political scenario in the tiny nation. Its ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasia is currently under political asylum given by New Delhi.