Dhaka: The namaz-e-janaza (funeral prayers) for former prime minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia will be held tomorrow at 2 PM at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad (JS). The solemn ceremony will be led by the Khatib of the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque. Following the prayers, she will be interred with full state honors beside her husband, BNP founder Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced the schedule this afternoon after an emergency meeting at the BNP Chairperson’s office. The meeting was attended by Standing Committee members including Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Nazrul Islam Khan, Dr. Abdul Moyeen Khan, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, and Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku.
Mirza Fakhrul expressed grief, stating, “A great leader of the democratic world, who dedicated her entire life to the restoration of democracy, is no longer among us. Her passing is an irreparable loss for the people of Bangladesh. She left us at a time when the nation needed her most.” He underscored the timing of her demise as particularly painful, coinciding with the nation’s movement toward an election aimed at upholding democracy.
Funeral prayers will be held at the South Plaza of the Parliament Building and the adjacent Manik Mia Avenue at 2 PM. The Khatib of the National Mosque will lead the Namaz-e-Janaza, with BNP Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan coordinating the funeral proceedings. Khaleda Zia will be buried beside Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman, a key figure in the country’s independence and multi-party democracy.
Mirza Fakhrul appealed for public discipline during the funeral and burial rites, urging everyone to maintain order as a mark of final respect to the leader. He also prayed for BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, hoping that Allah grants him the strength to bear this loss and fulfill the responsibilities left by his mother.
Begum Khaleda Zia passed away at 6:00 AM today while receiving treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka. In her honor, the interim government has declared three days of state mourning from Wednesday to Friday (Dec 31 – Jan 2), with a public holiday announced for Wednesday, December 31, across the country.