Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s state funeral completed in Bangladesh

POBNEWS24, Dhaka, Dec 31, 2025 : BNP Chairperson and former two-time Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s state funeral has been completed. Khaleda Zia’s body was buried at around 4:45 pm on Wednesday next to the tomb of former President and her husband Ziaur Rahman at Zia Udyan in the capital. Later, Home Affairs Advisor, Legal Advisor, BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and the chiefs of the three services paid tribute by placing flowers at the grave.
Earlier, Khaleda Zia’s funeral prayers were held at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban after 3 pm. After the funeral prayers, the body was taken from the Parliament Bhaban to Zia Udyan in a hearse draped in the national flag under tight security by law enforcement agencies.
After being taken near the tomb, members of the army, air force and navy carried the coffin carrying Khaleda Zia on their shoulders. Khaleda Zia was buried next to the tomb of Ziaur Rahman after state honors.
Khaleda Zia’s funeral prayer was led by Mufti Md. Abdul Malek, Khatib of the National Mosque Baitul Mukarram. Earlier, her son Tarique Rahman, who attended Khaleda Zia’s funeral, asked everyone to pray for her mother. He said, “Please pray. May Allah grant her paradise.”
A little after 12 noon on Wednesday, a car carrying the coffin wrapped in the national flag arrived at the South Plaza of the Parliament Building. Earlier, at around 11 am, an ambulance carrying the body left from Tarique Rahman’s house at 196 Gulshan Avenue. Earlier, at 9:17 am, the ambulance carrying Khaleda Zia’s body reached Tarique Rahman’s house under tight security from law enforcement agencies. Meanwhile, the areas around Manik Mia Avenue, Bijoy Sarani, Khamar Bari, Karwan Bazar, Farmgate, Shahbagh, Mohammadpur became crowded with people.
Representatives of several countries in South and Southeast Asia, including India, Pakistan, came to Dhaka to pay their respects to the BNP Chairperson.
Principal Advisor Professor Muhammad Yunus attended the funeral of former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia. In addition, the chief advisor was accompanied by the chief advisor and others, including the chief of the three services.
Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman. At that time, he handed over India’s condolence message to Tarique Rahman. This information was given in a post on BNP’s verified Facebook page around 1:30 pm.
Pakistan’s National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq met BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and expressed his condolences.
Khaleda Zia spent the last days of her life in intensive care in the hospital.
The day after the fall of the Awami League government in the student-public uprising on August 5, 2024, the ailing Khaleda Zia was released from prison by executive order. She was taken to London, UK, on ​​January 7 for advanced treatment. After staying there for 117 days and receiving treatment, she returned to the country on May 6. After returning home, she was admitted to the hospital several times due to various physical complications. In all, the hospital became her home at the end of her life.
Khaleda Zia was taken to the hospital on an emergency basis on November 23 due to increasing breathing problems. Earlier, on November 21, she was feeling uncomfortable getting into the car after leaving to attend the Armed Forces Day ceremony. For many years, Khaleda Zia had been suffering from various complications including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, kidney, lung and eye problems.
Khaleda Zia had to accept the death toll at around 6 am on Tuesday at the capital’s Evercare Hospital after all the doctors’ efforts failed. The government has declared three days of state mourning from Wednesday to Friday (December 31 and January 1 and 2) following her death. In addition, a general holiday has been declared across the country on Wednesday.
BNP National Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam delivered a brief speech before the funeral at the South Plaza of the Parliament. At that time, he said that fascist Sheikh Hasina will never be freed from the responsibility of Khaleda Zia’s death. Khaleda Zia’s illness increased due to not being given the opportunity to receive treatment abroad. Finally, she had to surrender to death.
He said that Khaleda Zia fell ill due to the lack of proper treatment while being imprisoned in a dark prison for more than 2 years from February 8, 2018 in a false case, accepting Sheikh Hasina’s personal vendetta. The entire countrymen witnessed – she entered the prison on foot, but came out of the solitary prison with extreme illness. According to doctors from home and abroad, the illness increased due to not being given the opportunity to receive treatment abroad for the next four years of house arrest. Finally, she had to surrender to death. Therefore, fascist Sheikh Hasina will never be freed from the responsibility of this death.
Nazrul Islam Khan said that no one could force Khaleda Zia to compromise until the end of her life. She remained with the people. He said, we have friends abroad, but no masters. He became the Prime Minister three times because of the love of the people.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq and Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar met at Khaleda Zia’s residence.
In May this year, there was a four-day bloody clash between India and Pakistan. There is great tension between the two countries over this. This is the first direct meeting between the top leaders of the two countries after that clash.
After that, the two countries agreed to a ceasefire under the mediation of the United States. Which is still ongoing.