Dhaka, Dec 31 (V7N) — Mourners have been gathering at Manik Mia Avenue in the capital since Wednesday morning to attend the funeral of former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia.

People from different parts of the country have been arriving since early morning to bid their last farewell to the uncompromising leader. Grief and sorrow were visible on the faces of the mourners as they remembered the loss of a towering figure in Bangladesh’s political history.

Around 11:30 am, despite nearly two and a half hours remaining before the scheduled namaz-e-janaza, thousands of people were already present in the National Parliament complex area. The influx of mourners continued to grow steadily as more people arrived.

To manage the large crowd of ordinary citizens and party activists and to facilitate the funeral proceedings, authorities opened the entrance to the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. As soon as the gates were opened, thousands entered the premises. Two large open fields in the South Plaza area have been designated for the funeral congregation.

The funeral of Begum Khaleda Zia is scheduled to be held at 2:00 pm at Manik Mia Avenue. Her funeral car, draped in the national flag of Bangladesh, left BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman’s residence in Gulshan at around 11:00 am and is on its way to the funeral venue.

END/SMA/AJ