Bangladesh: Sheikh Hasina's rival dies– ex-PM Khaleda Zia passes away days after exiled son's return

Bangladesh’s first female prime minister and veteran opposition leader Khaleda Zia has died at the age of 80 after a prolonged illness, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) confirmed on December 30. A two-time prime minister, Zia led Bangladesh from 1991 to 1996 and again from 2001 to 2006, and was a central figure in the country’s politics for decades. Her death comes amid ongoing political uncertainty in Bangladesh and days after her son returned from 17 years of exile. Zia had been suffering from advanced liver cirrhosis, along with multiple other health complications, according to her doctors. Her funeral is expected to take place on December 31.