Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister, Begum Khaleda Zia, passed away at the age of 80 on December 30, 2025, at around 6:00 a.m. Khaleda was a defining figure in Bangladeshi politics, becoming the nation’s first female PM. The former chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) had been battling several illnesses, including infections and long-term ailments. Khaleda reportedly left the world with her elder son, Tarique Rahman, by her side. Amid an outpouring of condolences and national mourning, here’s all you need to know about the former Bangladeshi PM’s roots and family.
Know Khaleda Zia’s roots, was she Indian?
Khaleda Zia had Indian roots as she was born in Jalpaiguri, in the Bengal Province of British India (now located in West Bengal, India). While she was born in territory that is now part of India, her family migrated to East Bengal (then East Pakistan, now Bangladesh) following the Partition of 1947. Khaleda’s father, Iskandar Ali Majumder, was a tea businessman originally from Feni (present-day Bangladesh). Her mother, Taiyaba Majumder, was from the village of Chandbari in West Dinajpur (now in West Bengal, India).