Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia is no more.

The country’s first female Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has passed away. She was 79 years old.

She died at 6:00 am on Tuesday while undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka, her personal physician Professor AZM Zahid Hossain said.

Khaleda Zia’s son Tarique Rahman, Tarique’s wife Zubaida Rahman, daughter Zaima Rahman, the wife of Khaleda Zia’s late son Arafat Rahman Koko, Syeda Shamila Rahman, her two daughters Jahia Rahman and Jafia Rahman, Khaleda Zia’s younger brother Shamim Eskander, his wife Kaniz Fatema, the wife of late Said Eskander Nasrin Eskander, Khaleda Zia’s middle sister Selina Islam, other family members, and BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir were present at the hospital at that time.

Khaleda Zia, who earned the title “the uncompromising leader” through the anti-autocracy movement of the 1990s, led the BNP for 41 years. She was a five-time Member of Parliament, a three-time Prime Minister, and served twice as the Leader of the Opposition.

From a housewife to entering politics, a large part of Khaleda Zia’s four-decade-long political life was spent in street movements. She was arrested and imprisoned, but she never fled the country. She never lost any parliamentary election she contested.

Khaleda Zia had been suffering from multiple complex and chronic health conditions, including liver complications, kidney complications, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, and infection-related problems. She had been admitted to Evercare Hospital in Bashundhara since November 23.

As her condition deteriorated, her elder son, BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, and other family members rushed to the hospital late Monday night. After 2:00 am, AZM Zahid Hossain came in front of the hospital and told journalists that Khaleda Zia was going through an “extremely critical” time.

“On behalf of her family, we request the people of the country to pray to Almighty Allah for her recovery.”

A few hours later, hospital doctors declared the BNP Chairperson dead. The news immediately cast a pall of grief. Many doctors and nurses at the hospital were seen breaking down in tears.

The news of mourning spread across social media within moments. Many expressed their grief through posts. BNP leaders, activists, and supporters began gathering outside Evercare Hospital.

Later, at 9:00 am, the head of Khaleda Zia’s medical board, Professor Shahabuddin Talukder, came before journalists with a tearful voice and said, “For one month and ten days, we made our utmost efforts through various treatments to make her recover, but on behalf of the medical board, I declared her clinically dead today at 6:00 am.

“Through you, we seek prayers from the people of the country for her. Please pray so that she may attain Jannah.”