Bangladesh held a state funeral on Wednesday for former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, drawing large crowds to the streets of Dhaka. Zia, the country’s first female prime minister, died on Tuesday at the age of 80.
Flags flew at half-mast, and thousands of security officers lined the streets as her coffin, draped in the national flag, passed through the capital. Citizens gathered to pay tribute to a leader whose political career shaped Bangladesh for decades.
Retired government worker Minhaz Uddin, 70, said he had never voted for Zia but came to honor her contributions. “I came here with my grandson to say goodbye to a veteran politician whose work will always be remembered,” he said.
Sharmina Siraj, a 40-year-old mother of two, said Zia had inspired her and many others. She praised the stipends Zia introduced to support girls’ education, noting the long-term benefits for young women across Bangladesh.
Despite years of poor health and imprisonment, Zia had planned to campaign in next year’s elections, scheduled for February 12. Her party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), is seen as a strong contender. Her son, Tarique Rahman, who returned from 17 years in exile last week, could become prime minister if the BNP wins a majority.
Jenny Parvez, 37, who traveled for hours to see the funeral procession, said, “She is no more, but her legacy lives on — and so does the BNP.”
The interim government, led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, declared three days of national mourning and organized an elaborate state funeral. Large crowds gathered outside parliament, waving national and BNP flags, as prayers began around 2:00 pm local time. Yunus called Zia “a great guardian” of Bangladesh.
Zia will be laid to rest alongside her late husband, Ziaur Rahman, who was assassinated in 1981 during his presidency. Her son, Tarique Rahman, described her resilience as “unbreakable,” noting her years of repeated arrests, denied medical care, and political persecution.
Despite worsening health, Zia remained politically active. Hours before her death, party members submitted nomination papers on her behalf for three constituencies in next year’s polls.
International leaders paid tribute to Zia. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed hope that her vision and legacy would guide future India-Bangladesh relations. India will also send its foreign minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, to attend the funeral, marking the highest-level visit since the fall of Sheikh Hasina. Senior officials from Pakistan are also expected to attend.
Sheikh Hasina, 78, sentenced in absentia to death for crimes against humanity, remains in India. Zia had been jailed in 2018 under Hasina’s government and denied medical treatment abroad. She was released last year after Hasina was removed from power.
In a statement shared on social media by the now-banned Awami League party, Hasina expressed her condolences, saying, “I pray for the eternal peace and forgiveness of Begum Khaleda Zia’s soul.”
