POBNEWS24, LONDON, Sep 18, 2022 : Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has paid her respects to Queen Elizabeth II in London, joining hundreds of thousands who said their farewells to Britain’s longest-serving monarch as she lies in state.
Hasina, accompanied by her sister Sheikh Rehana and Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK Saida Muna Tasneem, arrived at the historic Westminster Hall on Sunday morning. Hasina signed a book of condolence at Lancaster House.
She joined many world leaders, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, in paying tribute at the coffin.
Britain has hosted a series of poignant, carefully choreographed ceremonies in the 10 days that have followed Elizabeth’s death, reflecting the traditions and pageantry of the British royal family whose lineage stretches back almost 1,000 years.
The royals and the British government are now looking ahead to Monday’s funeral at Westminster Abbey, the site of coronations, weddings and burials of English and then British kings and queens since William I in 1066.
London’s police force has described the ceremony as the biggest security operation it has ever undertaken, Reuters reports.
Some 500 guests representing nearly 200 countries and territories will be attending – presidents, prime ministers, kings, queens and sultans among their number – and huge crowds are expected to throng the streets.
