Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia passed away on Tuesday morning at the age of 80 after a prolonged illness. She died at around 6 am while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Dhaka, the BNP said in an official statement.

Khaleda Zia had been hospitalised for over a month after being admitted with serious infections affecting her heart and lungs. She was also suffering from pneumonia and multiple long-term health complications, including liver cirrhosis, diabetes, arthritis, and chronic ailments related to her kidneys, heart, lungs, and eyesight. A team of specialists from several countries was overseeing her treatment, according to media reports.

The BNP, confirming her death, said prayers were being offered for the forgiveness of her soul and urged supporters and citizens to remember her in their prayers.

Prime Minister Modi expresses grief

Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled Khaleda Zia’s demise, describing her as a towering political figure and Bangladesh’s first woman prime minister. In a post on X, Modi extended condolences to her family and the people of Bangladesh, noting that her contributions to the country’s development and India-Bangladesh relations would be remembered.

He also recalled a meeting with Khaleda Zia in Dhaka in 2015 and said her vision and legacy would continue to guide bilateral ties between the two nations.

A political journey shaped by upheaval

Khaleda Zia formally entered politics after the assassination of her husband, former President Ziaur Rahman, in 1981. Ziaur Rahman had founded the BNP, and following his death, Khaleda Zia joined the party to hold it together during a period of uncertainty. She went on to become BNP vice-president in 1984 and its chairperson later that year.

Her rise coincided with a broader pro-democracy movement in Bangladesh. Along with Sheikh Hasina of the Awami League, Khaleda Zia played a key role in the popular uprising that ended military rule under Hossain Mohammad Ershad in 1990. Their cooperation later turned into a bitter rivalry that dominated Bangladesh’s political landscape for decades.

Three-time prime minister and key reforms

Khaleda Zia became Bangladesh’s first female prime minister after the BNP emerged victorious in the 1991 parliamentary elections. During her tenure, she introduced the parliamentary system of government, replacing the presidential model, and ensured that executive power rested with the prime minister.

She also played a role in introducing the caretaker government system to oversee free and fair elections, lifted restrictions on foreign investment, and made primary education compulsory and free.

After a brief and contested second term in 1996, Khaleda Zia returned to power in 2001 with a decisive mandate, beginning her third term as prime minister. However, this phase was marked by allegations of corruption, rising militancy, and political violence, including a deadly grenade attack at an opposition rally in 2004.

Legal battles and declining health

Following political instability, an army-backed interim government took charge in 2006, and Khaleda Zia was later jailed on corruption charges. Although she was released ahead of the 2008 elections, she never returned to power.

In subsequent years, she faced multiple convictions, which she and her party described as politically motivated. Due to worsening health, she was shifted to house arrest on humanitarian grounds in 2020 and later freed in 2024 following a change in political circumstances. Earlier this year, Bangladesh’s Supreme Court acquitted her and her son Tarique Rahman in key corruption cases.

Early life and family

Born in 1945 in Jalpaiguri, then part of British India, Khaleda Zia moved to East Bengal with her family after Partition. She completed her schooling in Dinajpur and married Ziaur Rahman in 1960. She is survived by her elder son Tarique Rahman, his wife Zubaida Rahman, and their daughter. Her younger son, Arafat Rahman Koko, passed away earlier.

With her death, Bangladesh has lost one of its most influential and polarising political leaders, whose legacy shaped the country’s politics for over three decades.

A concert by popular Bangladeshi singer James was cancelled in Faridpur, around 120 kilometres from Dhaka, after a mob allegedly threw bricks and stones at the venue, forcing local authorities to call off the event.

According to local reports, the concert was scheduled for 9 pm on Friday to mark the anniversary of a local school. A group of attackers attempted to forcibly enter the venue and began pelting stones, creating panic among the audience. Locals said students present at the site initially tried to resist the attackers, but the situation escalated, prompting authorities to cancel the programme.

Taslima Nasreen raises concern over attacks on culture

Author Taslima Nasreen highlighted the incident on social media, expressing concern over what she described as a growing pattern of attacks on artists and cultural spaces in Bangladesh. In her post, she referred to earlier incidents involving cultural institutions and said that the singer was not allowed to perform due to the actions of radical elements.

Nasreen also cited recent instances involving classical musicians. She mentioned that Siraj Ali Khan, grandson of renowned musician Ali Akbar Khan and a noted artist of the Maihar gharana, returned to India without performing in Dhaka, stating he would not return until artists and cultural institutions were safe. She further said that Arman Khan, son of Ustad Rashid Khan, had also declined an invitation to perform in Dhaka.

James’ popularity and wider concerns

James, a well-known Bangladeshi singer-songwriter, guitarist and composer, is the lead vocalist of the rock band Nagar Baul. He has also sung popular Hindi film songs such as Bheegi Bheegi from Gangster and Alvida from Life In A Metro, making him a familiar name across the region.

The cancellation of his concert has drawn attention to recent attacks on cultural organisations, artists and journalists in Bangladesh. Critics have alleged that the interim administration has failed to rein in violent mobs, amid claims that such incidents are contributing to a deteriorating law-and-order situation ahead of elections scheduled in February.

India has expressed strong concern over a series of violent incidents targeting members of minority communities in Bangladesh, following the lynching of two Hindu men in separate incidents. The Ministry of External Affairs said such attacks are “worrisome” and cannot be ignored, stressing that those responsible must be held accountable.

Speaking on Friday, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi has taken serious note of the developments across the border and is closely monitoring the law and order situation. He underlined that continued violence against minorities, including Hindus, Christians and Buddhists, remains a matter of grave concern for India.

“The unremitting hostility against minorities in Bangladesh at the hands of extremists is deeply troubling,” Jaiswal said, while condemning the recent killing of a Hindu youth in Mymensingh. He added that incidents of violence cannot be dismissed as exaggeration and expressed hope that perpetrators would be identified and punished.

According to the ministry, over 2,900 incidents of violence against minorities — including killings, arson and land-related crimes — have been documented by independent sources during the tenure of Bangladesh’s interim government. These developments, India said, cannot be brushed aside.

Rajbari killing under investigation

The latest incident took place on Wednesday in Pangsha upazila of Rajbari district, around 145 km west of Dhaka. As per police accounts quoted by media, the victim, identified as Amrit Mondal, was beaten to death by local residents following allegations of extortion.

Police said Mondal was suspected of leading a criminal gang and had allegedly attempted to extort money from a local resident along with his associates. Locals confronted the group and assaulted Mondal, leaving him critically injured. He was later taken to a hospital, where doctors declared him dead in the early hours of the morning.

Mondal’s body was sent to Rajbari Sadar Hospital for post-mortem examination. While most of his alleged associates fled, police said one person was arrested and firearms were recovered. Investigators also noted that Mondal had multiple criminal cases registered against him, including a murder case.

Lynching in Mymensingh sparks outrage

The Rajbari incident came days after another Hindu man was lynched in Mymensingh, triggering widespread outrage. The victim, identified as Dipu Das, also referred to as Dipu Chandra Das, was a factory worker in the city, located about 112 km north of Dhaka.

According to police and local reports, Das was attacked by a mob over allegations of blasphemy. He was first beaten outside a factory and later hanged from a tree. After the killing, his body was left along the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway and set on fire, leading to traffic disruption. Videos of the incident circulated widely on social media, fuelling anger and concern.

Interim government responds

Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, condemned the killing and said it does not support illegal activities, mob violence or mass beatings. At the same time, it maintained that the Rajbari incident was not communal in nature, describing it as a violent episode linked to alleged extortion and criminal activities. The administration said legal action would be taken against all those directly or indirectly involved.

India, however, reiterated that violence against minorities is a serious issue and called for effective action to ensure justice and safety for vulnerable communities.