National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam on Tuesday said the contribution and lifelong struggle of BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia in establishing democracy in Bangladesh will be preserved in the nation’s history.

Expressing deep grief over Khaleda Zia’s death in a post on his verified Facebook page in the morning, Nahid said her courageous leadership during the anti-autocracy movement showed the people of Bangladesh the path to securing democratic rights.

He said Khaleda Zia played an outstanding role in restoring a democratic environment and re-establishing the parliamentary system in Bangladesh following the mass uprising of the 1990s.

“In her long political life, she faced imprisonment many times and went through numerous ups and downs, yet she remained steadfast in her political ideals and unwavering in defending the rights of the people. She was uncompromising when it came to the sovereignty of the country and the nation,” Nahid wrote.

He said Khaleda Zia’s contribution and struggle in the fight to establish democracy in Bangladesh would certainly be remembered.

“Her long political journey dedicated to the welfare of the country and its people will continue to inspire future generations. With her passing, a long and eventful chapter of Bangladesh’s political history has come to an end,” he added.

Khaleda Zia, who had been suffering from multiple health complications, was admitted to Evercare Hospital in Dhaka on November 23. As her condition deteriorated, she was shifted to the Critical Care Unit (CCU) for advanced treatment.

The BNP chairperson and former prime minister passed away at the Evercare Hospital at 6:00am on Tuesday while undergoing treatment there.