Bangladesh Holds State Funeral to Mourn Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia

PK & Bangladesh – (Special Correspondent / Web Desk) – Bangladesh on Wednesday held a state funeral for former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, as huge crowds gathered to pay tribute to a leader who shaped the country’s politics for decades.

Zia, the first woman to lead the South Asian nation of 170 million people, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 80.

National flags were lowered to half-mast, while thousands of security personnel stood guard as her flag-draped coffin was carried through the streets of Dhaka.

Heartfelt condolences on the sad demise of Begum Khaleda Zia, former Prime Minister of Bangladesh and Chairperson, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

May Allah SWT grant her high place in Jannah and patience to the bereaved family. Ameen.🤲 pic.twitter.com/aiJITyhzlW

— Ishaq Dar (@MIshaqDar50) December 30, 2025

Among the mourners was 70-year-old retired official Minhaz Uddin, who said he never supported her politically but came to show respect to the three-time prime minister.

 “I came here with my grandson, just to say goodbye to a veteran politician whose contributions will always be remembered,” he said, watching from behind a barbed wire barricade as her body passed by.

“Khaleda Zia has been an inspiration,” mourner Sharmina Siraj told AFP, adding that “it is difficult to imagine women in leadership positions anytime soon”.

The 40-year-old mother of two said stipends introduced by Zia to support girls’ education “had a huge impact on the lives of our girls”.

Despite years of ill health and imprisonment, Zia had vowed to campaign in elections set for 12 February — the first vote since a mass uprising toppled her arch-rival Sheikh Hasina last year.

Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is widely seen as a frontrunner, and her son Tarique Rahman, 60, who returned only last week after 17 years in exile, is seen as a potential prime minister if they win a majority.

“She is no more, but her legacy lives on — and so does the BNP,” said Jenny Parvez, 37, who travelled for several hours with her family to watch the funeral cortege pass her on the street.

The interim government, led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, declared three days of national mourning and an elaborate state funeral.

Large crowds gathered outside parliament — many waving national or BNP flags — where her coffin is expected around 2:00pm (0800 GMT), and when prayers will begin.

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Yunus said Bangladesh had “lost a great guardian”.

Zia’s body will be interred alongside her late husband, Ziaur Rahman, who was assassinated in 1981 during his time as president.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Tuesday that National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq will represent Pakistan at Zia’s funeral.

Tarique Rahman said in a statement that “the country mourns the loss of a guiding presence that shaped its democratic aspirations”.

His mother, he added, “endured repeated arrests, denial of medical care, and relentless persecution”, but that “her resilience … was unbreakable.”

Suffering from a raft of health issues, Zia was rushed to hospital in late November, where her condition had gradually deteriorated despite treatment.

Nevertheless, hours before her death, party workers had on Monday submitted nomination papers on her behalf for three constituencies for next year’s polls.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he hoped Zia’s “vision and legacy will continue to guide our partnership”, a warm message despite the strained relations between New Delhi and Dhaka since Hasina’s fall.

Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar is due to attend the funeral, New Delhi said, the most senior visit by an Indian official since the overthrow of Hasina.

Senior officials from Pakistan are also expected to attend.