Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia passed away on December 30, 2025, at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka at the age of 80. She was Bangladesh's first female Prime Minister. For exam preparation, the update matters because it gives a direct current-affairs base for questions on international affairs, political leadership, women in politics, and important personalities.
Khaleda Zia served two terms as Prime Minister: 1991-1996 and 2001-2006. She was born on August 15, 1945, in Jalpaiguri, which is now in West Bengal. She chaired the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. She was the wife of former President Ziaur Rahman, who was assassinated in 1981. After her death, Bangladesh declared three days of state mourning, and India expressed condolences.
For static GK, this should be linked with Important Personalities & Places, Bangladesh politics, the office of Prime Minister, and international current affairs. In prelims, the likely factual points are the date and place of death, age, the record of being Bangladesh's first female Prime Minister, her two terms, birthplace, party role, and the state mourning declared by Bangladesh. In RAS and UPSC-style preparation, it is better treated as a compact profile note rather than an extended topic, because this is a prelims-focused current-affairs fact set. In mains, the same facts can support a short note on women in political leadership, party politics in Bangladesh, and India's formal response. For revision, keep the sequence clear: death, first female Prime Minister, two terms, Bangladesh Nationalist Party, link with Ziaur Rahman, state mourning, and India's condolences.
