Bangladesh entered a solemn period of national mourning on Wednesday, observing a public holiday and a three-day state tribute as thousands of citizens gathered in the capital Dhaka to bid farewell to Begum Khaleda Zia, the country's first woman prime minister and a towering political figure. The former two-time head of government and chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) passed away on Tuesday at the age of 80 after a prolonged illness, triggering an outpouring of grief across the nation and beyond its borders.
Final Journey with State Honours and Global Dignitaries
The funeral proceedings for Khaleda Zia were marked by full state honours and significant international participation. Her Namaz-e-Janaza (funeral prayer) was held at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, the national parliament, at 2:00 PM local time. Following the prayers, she was laid to rest beside her husband, the late President Ziaur Rahman, at his mausoleum in Dhaka's Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area.
The ceremony drew high-level regional attention, with India's External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar, flying to Dhaka to represent the country. Dr. Jaishankar met Khaleda Zia's son, Tarique Rahman, and conveyed a condolence letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Ministry of External Affairs had earlier confirmed India's representation at the funeral of the former prime minister. Senior officials and foreign ministers from several South Asian nations, including Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, China, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives, were also present to pay their last respects.
Nation and Party in Mourning
The interim government, led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, declared Wednesday, December 31, a public holiday. A gazette notification announced a three-day national mourning period, concluding on Friday. All government, semi-government, autonomous, and private offices remained closed, with only essential services operational. The Supreme Court and Bangladesh Bank also declared a holiday.
Parallel to the state observances, the BNP announced a seven-day party mourning period. The party instructed its offices nationwide to hoist black flags, while leaders and workers were to wear black badges and hold special prayers. Condolence books were opened at BNP offices across Bangladesh.
Security was exceptionally tight for the final journey. Over 10,000 police and armed police battalion personnel were deployed across Dhaka, with army members stationed at key points. The Dhaka Metropolitan Police outlined a detailed convoy route and imposed traffic restrictions along major roads, urging public cooperation.
Tributes from Home and Abroad
Earlier in the day, Khaleda Zia's body was taken to her Gulshan residence, 'Firoza', where family members and close relatives paid their final respects. Her son, BNP's acting chairman Tarique Rahman, was seen seated quietly with a prayer book, surrounded by grieving family members.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir appealed to the massive gathering of mourners to maintain discipline during the funeral, requesting them to avoid rushing forward or taking photographs and to pray for the Zia family.
Global tributes poured in from world leaders and institutions. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow on social media platform X, recalling his warm meeting with Khaleda Zia in Dhaka in 2015. Condolence messages were received from the United Nations, European Union, United States, China, Russia, and numerous other countries. Diplomatic missions, including the British High Commission and embassies of Germany, France, Japan, and Iran, issued statements mourning her passing.
Khaleda Zia's political journey began after the assassination of her husband, President Ziaur Rahman. She led the country for two terms and was instrumental in restoring democratic governance after periods of military rule, remaining a dominant and influential force in Bangladesh's political landscape for decades as the principal rival of current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
