"End of an era in Bangladesh": Foreign Affairs expert on Zia's death

New Delhi [India], December 31 (ANI): Foreign Affairs Expert Robinder Sachdev called the passing of Bangladesh's first woman Prime Minister, Khaleda Zia, the end of an era in Bangladesh.

Sachdev, while talking to ANI, said that her death was at a crucial juncture for Bangladesh as it stood at the threshold of elections.

He said, "The death of Khaleda Zia marks the end of an era in Bangladesh... It will have an impact on Bangladesh, and coming at this particular juncture, when elections for the first time after the revolution of students are due to be held in about 6 weeks, when the domestic politics of Bangladesh are completely in turmoil, and it seems BNP is the leading party out there. The BNP is benefiting from the return of Tarique Rehman, Khaleda Zia's son, after 17 years... And then with the passing of Khaleda Zia, I think there will be a wave of sympathy... her passing would help the prospects of the BNP and Tarique to work towards a majority within the Bangladesh parliament."

Begum Khaleda Zia died early Tuesday at the age of 80, while she was undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka.

According to a BNP statement on Facebook, Zia died at around 6 am (local time), shortly after the Fajr prayer.

"We pray for the eternal peace of her soul and ask everyone to pray for her departed soul," it added.

Zia was admitted to the capital Dhaka's Evercare Hospital on November 23 with a lung infection. The former Prime Minister has been suffering from various physical ailments, including heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, liver cirrhosis, and kidney complications, for a long time, and earlier this month, she was sent to London for advanced medical treatment for her ailments.

Following the demise of former Bangladesh Prime Minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia on Tuesday morning, party leaders expressed their deep sorrow, calling it a "great setback" for the party and a "massive loss" for the nation. (ANI)

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