Khaleda Zia Laid to Rest with State Honours Beside Ziaur Rahman

Former Prime Minister of Bangladesh and Chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Begum Khaleda Zia, was laid to rest with full state honours on Wednesday, in a solemn ceremony marked by an overwhelming outpouring of public grief. She was buried at Zia Udyan in Dhaka, beside the grave of her husband, the late President and founder of BNP, Ziaur Rahman—bringing to a close one of the most consequential chapters in the country’s modern political history.

Her body arrived at Zia Udyan at around 4:00 pm on 31 December under tight security. The coffin was carefully lowered from a refrigerated vehicle and transported to the mausoleum complex, where funeral rites were conducted in accordance with state protocol. At approximately 4:30 pm, Khaleda Zia was formally interred, as military officials, political leaders, and grieving supporters stood in respectful silence.

Earlier in the afternoon, at 3:00 pm, her funeral prayer (janaza) was held on Manik Mia Avenue, one of the capital’s largest public spaces. The ceremony drew hundreds of thousands of mourners from across the country, reflecting her enduring influence and the emotional connection many citizens felt towards her political legacy. The prayer was led by Mufti Abdul Malek, Khatib of the national mosque, Baitul Mukarram.

The funeral was attended by an array of dignitaries, underscoring Khaleda Zia’s stature both at home and abroad. Among those present were Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus, members of the advisory council, the chiefs of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman, and senior leaders and activists of the party. Representatives of the international community were also in attendance, including ambassadors and high commissioners from 32 diplomatic missions, notably the United Kingdom, the United States, the European Union, Russia, China, Iran, and Qatar.

Earlier in the day, at 11:48 am, Khaleda Zia’s body was brought to the South Plaza of the National Parliament Building under strict security. Draped in the red and green national flag, her coffin was transported in a state-designated refrigerated van, symbolising official recognition of her role as a former head of government. The procession had begun around 11:00 am from the Gulshan residence of her son, Tarique Rahman, after her body was transferred from Evercare Hospital, where she had been receiving treatment.

Khaleda Zia passed away at 6:00 am on Tuesday at the age of 80. She had been battling multiple chronic health conditions for years, including heart disease, respiratory complications, liver and kidney ailments, and diabetes. Her death prompted an unprecedented surge of mourning nationwide, with many viewing it as the end of a political era that shaped Bangladesh’s democratic journey for decades.

Beyond party lines, her burial with state honours reflected her lasting imprint on the nation’s political, social, and historical landscape.

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