Ex-Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia laid to rest with full state honours in Dhaka

Former Prime Minister of Bangladesh and Chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Khaleda Zia, was laid to rest with full state honours in Dhaka alongside her husband, former President Ziaur Rahman.

Her funeral prayers were offered with great solemnity and official protocol, attended by hundreds of thousands of mourners.

Following the burial, her son Tarique Rahman laid a floral wreath on his mother’s grave, after which he and other family members returned to their residence.

Khaleda Zia’s mortal remains, draped in the national flag, were transported on Wednesday afternoon in a special vehicle to Manik Mia Avenue, where funeral arrangements had already been finalised.

Large crowds were seen inside and around the National Assembly complex, as well as along extended stretches of Manik Mia Avenue. The funeral venue and surrounding roads were flooded with people who gathered to pay their final respects to their leader.

Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus was present at the funeral, while Pakistan was represented by Speaker of the National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq, who attended on behalf of Pakistan to convey condolences and solidarity.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party stated that special arrangements had been made for public convenience; however, due to security concerns, access to the graveyard during the burial was restricted to authorised individuals only.

The funeral prayers were offered at 3:00 pm, and Khaleda Zia was buried with full state honours at around 3:30 pm beside the grave of her husband, former President and Shaheed Ziaur Rahman.

The burial was attended by her family members, senior government officials, state representatives, foreign diplomats, ambassadors, and senior BNP leaders.

Public movement in the Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area, including Zia Udyan, was restricted to ensure that the burial proceedings were completed peacefully and in an orderly manner.