DHAKA, Bangladesh, December 31, 2025 — Bangladesh will hold a state funeral on Wednesday for former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, who died Tuesday at age 80 after a prolonged illness. The former leader will be buried with full state honors next to her husband, former President Ziaur Rahman, as the nation observes three days of official mourning.
Who was Khaleda Zia?
Khaleda Zia was a former Prime Minister of Bangladesh and the widow of the country’s former President and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) founder, Ziaur Rahman. Her elder son, Tarique Rahman, who is the acting Chairman of the BNP, announced her death Tuesday morning, stating, “My mother is no more.” She died at approximately 6 a.m. on December 30 at Dhaka’s Evercare Hospital, where she had been receiving treatment for over a month.
What are the funeral arrangements?
The funeral prayer, or Namaz-e-Janaza, will be held Wednesday after Zohr prayers at 2:00 p.m. local time at the Parliament’s South Plaza and adjoining Manik Mia Avenue in Dhaka. According to BNP media cell member Shairul Kabir Khan, Zia’s body was kept overnight at the Evercare Hospital mortuary and will be taken to her Gulshan residence, Feroza, on Wednesday morning before proceeding to the Parliament grounds. She will then be laid to rest at Zia Udyan in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka, next to her husband’s grave, with full state honors.
Who is attending the funeral?
Dignitaries from across the world are expected to attend, including India’s External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar. The funeral is anticipated to draw a large crowd of mourners. The Bangladeshi interim government chief, Muhammad Yunus, declared a three-day state mourning period and a one-day general holiday on the day of the funeral. During the mourning period, fireworks, firecrackers, sky lanterns, gas balloons, and open-space cultural programs are prohibited in Dhaka Metropolitan areas.
What is the official period of mourning?
The government has announced a three-day state mourning period following Zia’s death. A one-day general holiday has also been declared for Wednesday, the day of the funeral. The orders were issued by interim government chief Muhammad Yunus, who stated the measures were “at the death of former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia.”
