Khaleda Zia to be laid to rest beside husband Ziaur Rahman; EAM Jaishankar to attend state funeral in Dhaka
PTC Web Desk: Bangladesh will accord full state honours to former Prime Minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, who passed away on Tuesday after a prolonged illness at the age of 80. India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is among the prominent foreign dignitaries expected to attend her funeral in Dhaka on Wednesday.
According to the interim government, Khaleda Zia’s janaza will be offered after Zohr prayers at the South Plaza of the National Parliament and along Manik Mia Avenue. She will later be laid to rest at Zia Udyan in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, beside her late husband, former President and BNP founder Ziaur Rahman.
Law adviser Asif Nazrul outlined the funeral arrangements while addressing the media following a special meeting of the interim government’s Advisory Council at the state guest house Jamuna. BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir attended the meeting as a special guest.
As a tribute to the former PM, the government has announced three days of state mourning across Bangladesh and declared a general holiday on Wednesday, the day of the funeral. During the mourning period, the national flag will be flown at half-mast at all government and non-government institutions, educational establishments and public and private buildings nationwide, as well as at Bangladeshi missions abroad.
Chief adviser Muhammad Yunus, in a televised address, expressed profound grief over Khaleda Zia’s demise and called upon citizens to maintain peace and discipline during the funeral and mourning period. He appealed for public cooperation with law enforcement agencies to ensure the ceremonies are conducted smoothly and with due dignity.
Special prayers will be offered in mosques across the country on Wednesday for the departed leader. Prayer gatherings will also be organised at places of worship of other faiths. In addition, condolence books will be opened at Bangladesh missions abroad to allow people to pay their respects.
The funeral is expected to draw considerable international attention. Along with India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is also scheduled to attend, officials at the Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka confirmed.
A towering yet polarising figure in Bangladesh’s political landscape, Khaleda Zia served as PM three times and led the BNP for decades. Her passing marks the end of an era, closing a significant chapter in the country’s political history spanning more than forty years.
The interim government has assured full support to Khaleda Zia’s family and the BNP in organising the funeral and burial, stating that all arrangements will be made in strict adherence to state protocol.
- With inputs from agencies
