Dhaka: The house on Shaheed Mainul Road in Dhaka Cantonment, once the primary residence of Bangladesh's first Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, stands silent. This house, where Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman lived as Army Chief and later as President, became Khaleda Zia's sole address after his death. Following the 1/11 political change and the rise of the Awami League to power, she moved to 'Firoza' in Gulshan after being evicted.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, in 2018, Khaleda Zia left 'Firoza' to attend a court hearing in Old Dhaka related to a case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission, leading to her imprisonment. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she returned to 'Firoza' after a conditional temporary release granted by the government. Now, security guards continue their watch, and the sentry posts remain, but a profound stillness pervades the area.
BNP Media Cell member Shayrul Kabir Khan expressed that the house is filled with memories of the BNP Chairperson. Those connected to this home, some serving for over 40 years since the days in the Cantonment, feel a deep sense of loss. A member of the Chairperson's Security Force (CSF) shared his grief, stating that the house feels empty, resonating with a haunting silence and void.
Adjacent to 'Firoza' is House No. 196, allocated to Ziaur Rahman's family in 1981. Recently, the original deeds of this house were handed over to Khaleda Zia by Adilur Rahman Khan, the Public Works Adviser of the interim government. BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has since moved in. The atmosphere remains somber, and large gatherings are restricted due to the location in the Gulshan Avenue diplomatic zone.
Tarique Rahman, overwhelmed by his mother's loss, spent Thursday in prayer and recitation of the Holy Quran. Atiqur Rahman Rumon of the BNP Media Cell noted that the Acting Chairman sought eternal peace for his mother's soul and shared nostalgic memories with visiting relatives. At 4:30 PM, he attended to official matters at the Chairperson's Gulshan office.
At the Gulshan office, the black flag flies with the BNP and national flags at half-mast. A condolence book is open for foreign ambassadors and politicians to pay their respects. Visitors on Thursday included Social Welfare Adviser Sharmin S. Murshid, U.S. Charg© d'Affaires Tracy Ann Jacobson, Iranian Ambassador Mansour Chavoshi, and others.
Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's namaz-e-janaza, led by Mufti Abdul Malek, Imam of the National Mosque, took place yesterday at 3 PM. She was laid to rest with full state honors beside her husband, Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman, in Zia Udyan, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka. Begum Khaleda Zia passed away on Tuesday at 6 AM while undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka.