The streets of Dhaka were filled with tens of thousands of people on Wednesday as Bangladeshis turned out to bid Khaleda Zia a final farewell. A towering figure in his country’s history, the former prime minister was 80 when he died, the city ground to a halt as mourners from across Bangladesh made their way to her funeral. With the national flag flying at half-staff and a public holiday declared, the day served as an extraordinary homage to her lengthy career and historic role as the first female leader.
A Sea of Mourners and Dignitaries
The funeral was held at Manik Mia Avenue, in the immediate vicinity of the National Parliament building. By the early hours, the area was teeming with people who had spent the night getting there by train, bus and boat. The crowd was so large that even by scrambling up on nearby rooftops and bridges, people could only crane their necks to catch a glimpse of the ceremony. Police and soldiers lined every inch of the parade route to keep order as a sea of people snaked for miles through the city centre.
Leaders from throughout South Asia were also flown to Dhaka to pay their respects. India’s foreign minister, S. Jaishankar, met with Zia’s son Tarique Rahman last month to deliver a personal letter of condolence from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Prayers at the mosque were also attended by other senior officials from Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka. Their presence indicated that Khaleda Zia was not only honoured within Bangladesh but also a prominent leader in the region at large.
The service was attended by the leaders of the country at present, including Muhammad Yunus who is leading an interim government. In brief remarks, Zia’s son, Tarique Rahman, thanked the crowd for their love and requested everybody to pray for his mother. The atmosphere was laden with emotion, and many in the crowd, led in a final prayer by the chief cleric of the national mosque, could be seen crying.
Final Rest with State Honours
Following the completion of prayers, the funeral cortege set off slowly for the cemetery. Khaleda Zia was offered full state honours that featured a special military guard of honour. That is the signal of respect by the government for a past leader. Her casket, covered by the national flag, was borne through the streets as supporters showered it with flower petals and chanted her name for one last time.
She was interred late Wednesday afternoon at Zia Udyan in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar. In a highly symbolic decision, she was buried directly next to the grave of her husband, the late President Ziaur Rahman. Her family and a few close political allies attended the private burial, which marked an official end to her long and often hard journey in politics.
For many watching, the burial wasn’t just a funeral; it was the closing of a chapter. She had served as Prime Minister three times before, and she had struggled to keep her party together for years. In being laid to rest beside her husband, she was back in the company of the man whose death had thrust her into politics more than four decades earlier.
A Legacy That Shaped a Nation
Khaleda Zia’s death creates a huge void in Bangladesh politics. For more than 30 years, she was a leader who didn’t flinch when the prospect of prison or loss of power loomed. Her supporters remember her as a “guardian” of democracy who had helped to modernise the country and improve women’s lives. Her competition with other leaders shaped the modern history of the country and mobilised millions to join her cause.
Even in her last months, when she was very ill at the hospital, she remained her followers’ foremost symbol of hope. Her passing follows on the heels of a time of major shifts in the country, and her party is turning now to her son to lead them into the next election. She is gone now, but the values she fought for will shape how this country is governed for generations.
As three days of national mourning pass, people throughout Bangladesh are organising their own small prayer services. The huge crowd that gathered in Dhaka was proof that despite the scandals and all those years in opposition, Khaleda Zia’s popularity still ranked among the most beloved leaders of Bangladesh. Her tale ended some centuries ago, but the affection of her people for her spirit is undiminished.
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