Published December 31, 2025
Bangladesh bid farewell to former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia with a state funeral, as large crowds gathered to mourn the great statesman whose leadership shaped the country over decades.
Zia, the first female prime minister of the South Asian country of 170 million people, died on Tuesday at the age of 80. On Wednesday, thousands of security personnel lined the streets of Dhaka and flags flew at half-staff across the country as her flag-draped coffin passed through the capital.
A large crowd gathered outside Bangladesh’s parliament building for funeral prayers. People from all over Dhaka and beyond poured into Manik Mia Road, where the Parliament building is located, from early morning to pay their last respects.
Minhaz Uddin, 70, a retired government employee, came even though he had never voted. “I came here with my grandson, just to say goodbye to a veteran politician whose contributions will be remembered forever,” he said as he watched from behind a barbed wire barricade.
Zia entered politics after her husband’s death and made a name for herself by opposing the military regime that was eventually ousted in a 1990 mass uprising. She first became prime minister in 1991, when parliamentary democracy was introduced and won a landslide victory, and served as the leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party until her death.
Known for her gentle demeanor, Zia maintained a strong political rivalry with arch-rival Sheikh Hasina, who led Bangladesh’s Awami League party and ruled for 15 years before being ousted in mass riots in 2024.
Security was massive, with authorities deploying around 10,000 people, including soldiers, to maintain order. The interim government of Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus announced three days of mourning and declared Wednesday a public holiday in honor of the three-time prime minister.
