Bangladesh mourns as it prepares to bid farewell to former PM Khaleda Zia

She will be buried with state honours beside her husband Ziaur Rahman’s grave

Bangladesh is in mourning following the death of Khaleda Zia, the country’s first female prime minister.

A three-day state mourning period began on Wednesday, with the national flag flown at half-mast at all government, autonomous and private institutions, educational establishments, and Bangladesh missions abroad.

Wednesday has also been declared as a public holiday.

As part of the observance, the national flag was flown at half-mast at Chandrakola Harikali Para Government Primary School in Natore Sadar Upazila, said Saddam Hossain, the school’s office manager.

He told bdnews24.com the flag was first hoisted to the top of the pole and then lowered to one-fourth of its height.

“At the time of lowering at the end of the day, the flag will again be raised to the top before being brought down,” he said.

The same practice was followed at Charbachamara Iman Uddin Talukdarkandi Government Primary School in Shibchar Upazila of Madaripur, said teacher Md Abul Kalam Azad.

The Bangladesh High Commission in Kuala Lumpur has also announced on its official Facebook page that the national flag is being flown at half-mast there in observance of the state mourning.

Khaleda’s funeral will be held at Manik Mia Avenue in the capital after Zuhr prayers on Wednesday.

The funeral of her husband, former president Ziaur Rahman, was held at the same venue on Jun 2, 1981.

Following the service, Khaleda will be buried with state honours beside Zia's grave around 3:30pm.

The state mourning will continue until Friday.

On that day, special prayers will be offered in mosques and other religious institutions across the country.

The BNP has announced a seven-day mourning programme to mark the death of its chairperson.

Black flags will be hoisted at party offices across the country, including the central office at Naya Paltan.

Party leaders and activists will wear black badges throughout the mourning period, while Quran recitation and prayers will be held at party offices.

The BNP will also open condolence books at its central office in Naya Paltan, the chairperson’s office in Gulshan, and district-level party offices.

Doctors declared Khaleda dead at 6am on Tuesday after she had been undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka for the past 40 days.

Khaleda, who earned a reputation as an “uncompromising leader” during the anti-autocracy movement of the 1990s, led the BNP for 41 years.

She was a five-time member of parliament, served three terms as prime minister, and twice held the position of leader of the opposition.