Arrangements are being made in Bangladesh for funeral ceremony of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, which will be held today. The burial service will take place in capital Dhaka after Zohr prayers, the country’s law advisor Asif Nazrul said.
Khaleda Zia, who died at 80 following prolonged illness, breathed her last on Tuesday at Evercare hospital in Dhaka. Her elder son Tarique Rahman, the acting Chairman of Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s (BNP), on Tuesday morning announced the news of his mother’s demise, “My mother is no more.”
Foreign Minister S Jaishankar to attend Bangladesh ex-PM Khaleda Zia’s funeral
Several dignitaries from across the world will attend Zia’s funeral in Dhaka scheduled for 31 December, including External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
All about the high-profile funeral
Asif Nazrul revealed that Khaleda Zia’s funeral will be held at the country’s Parliament’s South Plaza and the adjoining Manik Mia Avenue, local news outlet reported. The Daily Star report suggests that the funeral prayer is scheduled for 2:00 AM and it is expected to draw large crowd of mourners.
The body of first woman prime minister of the country will be laid to rest next to her husband, former Bangladesh President and BNP founder Ziaur Rahman, at Zia Udyan in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in Dhaka, with full state honours, Bangladesh’s law advisor said on Tuesday.
As per plan, Zia’s body was slated to be transferred to her Gulshan residence in Feroza on Wednesday morning, Dhaka Tribune reported. “Madam’s (Khaleda’s) body has been kept at the Evercare Hospital mortuary for the night. On Wednesday morning, it will be taken to her residence, Feroza,” the publication quoted BNP media cell member Shairul Kabir Khan as saying. He further noted that Zia’s body will be taken to the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad from her residence.
Bangladesh declared three-day state mourning and one-day general holiday following the death of Sheikh Hasina’s political rival. Bangladesh’s interim government chief Muhammad Yunus on 30 December said, “At the death of former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia, I declare three days of state mourning and a one-day general holiday tomorrow on the day of her Namaz-e-Janaza (funeral prayers).”
Even though this is New Year’s time, no fireworks or firecrackers will be allowed in the Dhaka Metropolitan areas during the three-day mourning period, local media reported. Furthermore, authorities have banned execution of cultural programs in open spaces in addition to restrictions on release of gas balloon sky lanterns.
