Former Bangladeshi PM Khaleda Zia laid to rest beside husband Ziaur Rahman in Dhaka

Begum Khaleda Zia, the first woman Prime Minister of Bangladesh, was laid to rest beside her husband, former president Ziaur Rahman, at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in Dhaka on Tuesday.

Draped in the national flag, Khaleda Zia’s body was moved to the burial ground at Zia Udyan and laid to rest near the grave of her husband Ziaur Rahman.

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Earlier, Zia’s namaz-e-janaza orfuneral prayers were held at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, the National Parliament complex of Bangladesh.

A huge crowd gathered outside the Bangladeshi Parliament building to attend Zia’s funeral prayers.

Chief Adviser of the interim government Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus, BNP Acting Chairman and Zia’s son Tarique Rahman, Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, and senior members of the Bangladeshi interim government attended the funeral.

Union External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar also attended the funeral of the former Bangladeshi Prime Minister.

Jaishankar also met Zia’s son Tarique Rahman and handed him a message of condolence from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Conveyed deepest condolences on behalf of the Government and people of India. Expressed confidence that Begum Khaleda Zia’s vision and values will guide the development of our partnership,” Jaishankar said in a post on X.

Leaders from Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives also attended the funeral of Khaleda Zia.

Begum Khaleda Zia died on Tuesday after a prolonged illness. She was 80.