Bangladesh’s three-time prime minister Khaleda Zia, who hoped to lead her nation one last time after the election next year, died on Tuesday aged 80, her party said.
The government declared three days of state mourning, with her funeral to be held on Wednesday.
Despite years of ill health and imprisonment, Zia vowed in November to campaign in the election set for February – the first vote since a mass uprising toppled her arch-rival Sheikh Hasina last year.
Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is widely seen as a front runner and her son Tarique Rahman, who returned only on Thursday after 17 years in exile, is seen as a potential prime minister if they win a majority.
In late November, she was rushed to hospital, where despite the best efforts of doctors, her condition declined from a raft of health issues.
Nevertheless, hours before her death, party workers had on Monday submitted nomination papers on her behalf for three constituencies for the polls.
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