Former PM Khaleda Zia’s coffin arrives outside Parliament

The coffin of former prime minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson Khaleda Zia has arrived outside the Parliament complex in Dhaka ahead of her funeral prayers.

The national flag-draped hearse arrived shortly around 11:45am on Wednesday. Her elder son Tarique Rahman and other members of the family travelled in a bus accompanying the motorcade.

Earlier in the morning, her body had been taken to Tarique's Gulshan residence, where senior BNP leaders, party activists, relatives and well-wishers gathered to pay their final respects.

Her coffin will be placed on a stage at the western end of Manik Mia Avenue.

Her funeral prayers will be held there after Zuhr prayers. The same location hosted the funeral of her husband, then president Ziaur Rahman, on Jun 2, 1981.

Following the funeral prayers, she will be buried with full state honours beside her husband's grave at Zia Udyan around 3:30pm.

The Chief Advisor's Office has said the funeral prayers will extend across the inner grounds of the Parliament complex, nearby areas and the full length of Manik Mia Avenue.

It also requested the public to avoid using Mirpur Road to ensure the smooth conduct of the funeral.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) said traffic would remain restricted on Wednesday along several routes, including those connecting Evercare Hospital, the July 36 Expressway, Kuril Flyover, the Naval Headquarters, the residence at Feroza, Gulshan-2, Kamal Ataturk Avenue, Airport Road, Mohakhali Flyover, Jahangir Gate, Bijoy Sarani and the Aircraft Crossing, to facilitate the transport of the coffin.

Khaleda, who had been undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka for the past 40 days, was declared dead by doctors early on Tuesday morning.

Khaleda, who earned the reputation of being an “uncompromising leader” through the anti-autocracy movement of the 1990s, led the BNP for 41 years. She served as a five-time member of parliament, was prime minister on three occasions, and twice held the position of leader of the opposition.

A three-day period of state mourning began at dawn on Wednesday, with the national flag lowered to half-mast at all government, autonomous and private institutions, educational establishments, and Bangladesh missions abroad. Wednesday has also been declared a public holiday.