Hundreds of thousands of people travelled from across Bangladesh to the capital Dhaka on Wednesday to pay their final respects to former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. Zia, who was the country's first female prime minister, died on Tuesday from a prolonged illness. She was 80.
The mourners held out their hands in prayer and carried flags printed with her photographs as a motorcade carrying Zia's body - including the hearse wrapped with the national flag - drove on streets near the parliament house. Flags were flown at half-mast, and thousands of security officers were deployed.
I have come this far just to say goodbye. I know I won't be able to see her face, but at least I could see the [vehicle] carrying her for the last rites, Setara Sultana, an activist from Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), told the BBC. Sharmina Siraj, a mother of two, called Zia an inspiration, noting that stipends introduced by the former leader to improve women's education made a huge impact on her daughters.
India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, the Speaker of Pakistan's National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, and Bhutan's Foreign Minister Lyonpo DN Dhungyel were among those who attended the funeral.
Zia was buried next to her husband Ziaur Rahman, who was assassinated in 1981 while serving as president. From a homemaker to a leading political figure, Zia's life journey was marked by her uncompromising stance against military dictatorship and her role in fighting for democracy in Bangladesh. Her legacy is complex, facing both admiration and criticism throughout her career. As Bangladesh prepares for future elections, her influence remains palpable, with expectations surrounding her son, Tarique Rahman, and the BNP's political aspirations.
The mourners held out their hands in prayer and carried flags printed with her photographs as a motorcade carrying Zia's body - including the hearse wrapped with the national flag - drove on streets near the parliament house. Flags were flown at half-mast, and thousands of security officers were deployed.
I have come this far just to say goodbye. I know I won't be able to see her face, but at least I could see the [vehicle] carrying her for the last rites, Setara Sultana, an activist from Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), told the BBC. Sharmina Siraj, a mother of two, called Zia an inspiration, noting that stipends introduced by the former leader to improve women's education made a huge impact on her daughters.
India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, the Speaker of Pakistan's National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, and Bhutan's Foreign Minister Lyonpo DN Dhungyel were among those who attended the funeral.
Zia was buried next to her husband Ziaur Rahman, who was assassinated in 1981 while serving as president. From a homemaker to a leading political figure, Zia's life journey was marked by her uncompromising stance against military dictatorship and her role in fighting for democracy in Bangladesh. Her legacy is complex, facing both admiration and criticism throughout her career. As Bangladesh prepares for future elections, her influence remains palpable, with expectations surrounding her son, Tarique Rahman, and the BNP's political aspirations.
