Dhaka, Dec 31 (V7N) — The body of former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia was buried at Zia Udyan on Wednesday (December 31) with state honours, next to the grave of her husband, former President Ziaur Rahman.

Her hearse reached Zia Udyan at around 4 pm, where the body was taken out of the freezer van and transported to the burial ground. The burial was completed at around 4:30 pm.

Earlier, funeral prayers were held at Manik Mia Avenue at around 3 pm, attended by lakhs of people from across the country. The prayers were led by Mufti Abdul Malek, Khatib of the National Mosque Baitul Mukarram. Chief Advisor Dr. Muhammad Yunus, members of the Advisory Council, chiefs of the three services, BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman, and leaders and activists from various levels of the BNP were present. Diplomats, including the UK High Commissioner, and ambassadors from 32 countries including the US, EU, Russia, China, Iran, and Qatar, also attended the funeral.

Begum Khaleda Zia’s body had arrived at the South Plaza of the National Assembly Building at around 11:48 am under tight security, carried in a freezer van draped in the red-green national flag as per state protocol. The van had departed from her son Tarique Rahman’s residence in Gulshan at around 11 am, after earlier being transported from Evercare Hospital in Dhaka in the morning.

Begum Khaleda Zia passed away at the age of 80 on Tuesday (December 30) at 6 am while undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital. She had been suffering from multiple complications, including heart, lung, liver, kidney diseases, and diabetes.

END/SMA/AJ