Dhaka, Dec. 30 -- Former Bangladesh Prime Minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia passed away early Tuesday while undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka, the party said in a statement on social media platform Facebook.

She died at the age of 80.

The BNP said Khaleda Zia died at around 6 am (local time), shortly after the Fajr prayer. The party confirmed the news through posts on its verified Facebook page.

"Khaleda Zia passed away at around 6:00am, just after Fajr prayer," the BNP said. The party added, "We pray for the eternal peace of her soul and ask everyone to pray for her departed soul."

Begum Khaleda Zia was admitted to the capital Dhaka's Evercare Hospital on November 23 with a...