The death of Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia has prompted an outpouring of condolences around the world, with leaders highlighting her service to the nation as its first female premier.

Khaleda died in a hospital in Dhaka on Tuesday after a prolonged illness. She was 79 years old.

Here’s a round-up of the reaction:

Bangladesh

The country’s interim leader, Muhammad Yunus, expressed “profound sorrow” at the three-time prime minister’s death. He described her as a “symbol of the democratic movement” and said her struggle to establish “democracy, a multi-party political culture and the rights of the people in Bangladesh will be remembered forever”.

He said he was “deeply saddened and grief-stricken by her death”.

Khaleda’s longtime political rival, Sheikh Hasina, who remains in exile in India following her overthrow last year, also offered condolences.

Read more at: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/12/30/world-reacts-to-death-of-khaleda-zia-bangladeshs-first-female-leader