Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh's first female Prime Minister and chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has died at the age of 80 after a prolonged illness. She passed away early Tuesday morning at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka, where she had been receiving treatment for various health complications including liver cirrhosis, diabetes, and heart issues. Zia served as Prime Minister twice, from 1991-1996 and 2001-2006, and was a dominant figure in the country's politics for decades, known for her rivalry with Sheikh Hasina. Her death comes shortly before national elections scheduled for February.