ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed condolences on Tuesday over the death of Bangladesh’s first female prime minister, Khaleda Zia. He described her as a committed friend of Pakistan.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) said Zia died at the age of 80 after a prolonged illness. She passed away at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka, where she was admitted on Nov. 23 with a lung infection, according to The Daily Star.
“Deeply saddened by the passing of Begum Khaleda Zia, Chairperson of the BNP and former Prime Minister of Bangladesh,” Sharif wrote on X. “Her lifelong service to Bangladesh and its growth and development leaves a lasting legacy.”
Sharif added that his government and people stand with Bangladesh during this difficult time. “Begum Zia was a committed friend of Pakistan,” he said.
Pakistan and Bangladesh were part of the same country before Bangladesh seceded in 1971. Relations have mostly remained strained since then. Islamabad had better ties with Dhaka under Zia’s government compared to her rival, Sheikh Hasina.
Deeply saddened by the passing of Begum Khaleda Zia, Chairperson of the BNP and former Prime Minister of Bangladesh. Her lifelong service to Bangladesh and its growth and development leaves a lasting legacy.
Begum Zia was a committed friend of Pakistan. My Government and the…
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) December 30, 2025
Hasina was ousted after a violent uprising last year. This change improved relations between Islamabad and Dhaka.
Despite years of ill health and imprisonment, Zia pledged in November to campaign in elections scheduled for February 2026.
Also Read: Bangladesh’s first female Prime Minister Khaleda Zia dies at 80
The BNP is widely seen as a frontrunner. Zia’s son, Tarique Rahman, returned from exile last Thursday after 17 years and could become prime minister if the party wins a majority.
