Bangladesh mourns ex-PM Khaleda Zia with state funeral

DHAKA (AFP) - Bangladesh bade farewell on Wednesday to former prime minister Khaleda Zia in a state funeral drawing vast crowds, mourning a towering leader whose career defined politics for decades.

Zia, the first woman to serve as prime minister in the South Asian nation of 170 million people, died on Tuesday aged 80.

Flags were flown at half-mast, and thousands of security officers lined the streets as her body was carried through the streets of the capital Dhaka in a vehicle in the colours of the national flag.

Large crowds had gathered outside parliament — many waving national flags or those of Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) — where the funeral prayers were held at around 3pm local time, according to Dhaka-based Daily Star.

Khaleda was laid to rest alongside her late husband, Ziaur Rahman, who was assassinated in 1981 during his time as president. The burial took place at around 4:30pm local time, Daily Star reported.

Seventy-year-old retired government official Minhaz Uddin, who was attending Khaleda’s funeral, said he had never voted for her, but came to honour the three-time prime minister.

“I came here with my grandson, just to say goodbye to a veteran politician whose contributions will always be remembered,” he said, watching from behind a barbed wire barricade as her body passed by.

The funeral prayer for Begum Khaleda Zia, Chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and a three-time former Prime Minister, was held today, Wednesday, at Manik Mia Avenue in the capital. Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus attended the funeral prayer of Begum… pic.twitter.com/YmgYnMPVDS

— Chief Adviser of the Government of Bangladesh (@ChiefAdviserGoB) December 31, 2025

“Khaleda Zia has been an inspiration,” mourner Sharmina Siraj told AFP, adding that “it is difficult to imagine women in leadership positions anytime soon”.

The 40-year-old mother of two said stipends introduced by Zia to support girls’ education “had a huge impact on the lives of our girls”.

‘Legacy lives on’

Despite years of ill health and imprisonment, Zia had vowed to campaign in elections set for 12 February — the first vote since a mass uprising toppled her arch-rival Sheikh Hasina last year.

Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party is widely seen as a frontrunner, and her son Tarique Rahman, 60, who returned only last week after 17 years in exile, is seen as a potential prime minister if they win a majority.

“She is no more, but her legacy lives on — and so does the BNP,” said Jenny Parvez, 37, who travelled for several hours with her family to watch the funeral cortege pass her on the street.

The interim government, led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, declared three days of national mourning and an elaborate state funeral.

Yunus said Bangladesh had “lost a great guardian”.