Catholic leaders in Bangladesh are mourning the death of Begum Khaleda Zia, an alumna of Catholic-run St. Joseph’s School who became the country’s first woman prime minister and maintained a lifelong bond with the Catholic community. She died Tuesday morning local time at age 80 at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka following a prolonged illness.

Khaleda Zia, who many believed would sweep elections next year to lead her country once again, died aged 80, her party said.

Khaleda Zia, who has died at the age of 80, was Bangladesh's first female prime minister. Her husband, Ziaur Rahman, a leading figure in the country's struggle for independence, was president in 1977. At the time, Ms Zia was described as a "shy housewife" devoted to their two sons.

According to police, the shooting took place on Monday evening at around 6.45 pm inside a garment factory in the Bhaluka upazila area of Bangladesh.

Smoke engulfs the office building of Prothom Alo, a leading Bangladeshi newspaper, after rightwing mobs set in on fire in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on the night of Dec. 18-19, 2025.

Rahman, 60, is the acting chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, one of two major political parties in the South Asian nation of more than 170 million people. His return is seen as politically significant ahead of the next election set for Feb. 12 under the current interim government.

A Bangladeshi youth-driven party born out of the country's 2024 uprising is facing an open revolt from within after sealing an election alliance with an Islamist group, a move analysts say could jeopardise its future and reinforce established parties.

In office for three terms, she traded the country’s leadership with Sheikh Hasina, the head of another political dynasty, over decades. She was believed to be 80.

Mahanta said the operation was carried out last night in Barpeta, Chirang, Baksa and Darrang districts of Assam, besides Tripura.

Bangladesh's first female prime minister, Khaleda Zia, died after a prolonged illness, her opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party said on Tuesday. Khaleda, aged 80, had advanced cirrhosis of the liver,