CA, CJ and Other Dignitaries Join Namaz-e-Janaza of Begum Zia

In an unprecedented display of national grief, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus joined hundreds of thousands of mourners on Wednesday at Manik Mia Avenue for the funeral prayers (namaz-e-janaza) of former Prime Minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia. 

The gathering, described as one of the largest in the nation's history, brought together the highest levels of the interim government, including Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury, the Council of Advisers, and senior civil and military officials. 

They were joined by a host of foreign dignitaries from across South Asia and the global diplomatic corps, all standing shoulder to shoulder with citizens who had traveled from every corner of the country to pay their final respects.

The capital became a focal point of mourning as people began arriving by bus, train, launch, and metro rail as early as Tuesday night. Despite the severe winter cold, many spent the night outdoors on pavements and roadsides to secure a place near the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban complex. 

By early Wednesday, Manik Mia Avenue and its surrounding thoroughfares were packed to capacity, creating a sea of grief-stricken faces. The body of the three-time former premier reached the venue at 11:50 am under strict state protocol and foolproof security, having been brought from the Gulshan residence of her son, Tarique Rahman.

The morning was marked by intimate family tributes, where Tarique Rahman was seen reciting from the Holy Quran beside his mother’s coffin, joined by other family members in prayer for her eternal peace. 

This followed her final departure from Evercare Hospital earlier in the morning, where she had breathed her last at 6:00 am on Tuesday at the age of 80. As a mark of respect, the interim government has declared a three-day state mourning period and a general holiday for today, with the national flag flying at half-mast across all public and private institutions.

Following the janaza, Begum Khaleda Zia—the first female prime minister of Bangladesh and a figure widely regarded as a symbol of democratic resilience—will be laid to rest with full state honors. 

She will be interred beside the grave of her husband, Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman, in a dignified state ceremony. While the public gathered in millions for the funeral prayers, the burial process will remain restricted to designated dignitaries and family members to ensure the solemnity of the final rites. 

Her passing leaves a profound vacuum in the nation's political landscape, honored today by a massive outpouring of love and respect from all walks of life.