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Tarique Rahman, the acting chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), on Tuesday announced the death of his mother, former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia, with an emotional tribute that blended personal grief with national loss.

In a message shared on social media, Rahman said Khaleda Zia had “responded to the call of Almighty Allah and left us today,” adding the Islamic phrase of remembrance, Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un (Indeed, we belong to Allah, and to Him we shall return).

'A Leader Beyond Politics'

Describing her place in Bangladesh’s political history, Rahman said Khaleda Zia was seen by many as “the leader of the nation, an uncompromising leader, the Mother of Democracy, the Mother of Bangladesh.” He said the country was mourning the loss of a guiding figure who had shaped its democratic aspirations over decades of political struggle.

He recalled her role in standing “firm against autocracy, fascism, and domination,” saying she led the fight for freedom, sovereignty and the restoration of democracy even in the face of sustained persecution.

My mother, BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, has responded to the call of Almighty Allah and left us today. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un (Indeed, we belong to Allah, and to Him we shall return).

To many, she was the leader of the nation, an uncompromising leader, the… pic.twitter.com/bLsEtzYWgi

— Tarique Rahman (@trahmanbnp) December 30, 2025

‘At Home, She Was Simply Our Mother’

In deeply personal reflections, Rahman said that beyond politics, Khaleda Zia was a tender and devoted mother who gave her life to the service of the country and its people.

“Though her life was illuminated by sacrifice and struggle, at home she was our truest guardian,” he wrote, describing her as a source of strength during the family’s darkest moments. He spoke of the repeated arrests, denial of medical care and relentless pressure she endured, saying that even in pain and confinement, her courage and compassion never wavered.

“Her resilience was not loud, but it was unbreakable,” he said.

‘The Nation Became Her Family’

Rahman said Khaleda Zia’s political journey came at immense personal cost. “For the country, she lost her husband; she lost her child,” he wrote, adding that in the wake of those losses, Bangladesh and its people became her family, purpose and soul.

He said she left behind a lasting legacy of patriotism, sacrifice and resistance that would continue to live on in the democratic conscience of the nation.

Ending his message, Rahman appealed to the public to pray for his mother and expressed gratitude for the support his family had received. “For the profound emotion, love, and respect shown by the people of this country and by the world, my family and I remain eternally grateful,” he said.