Bangladesh Mourns Ex-Prime Minister Khaleda Zia Amid Heavy Security Ahead of Election

Vast crowds braved an unexpected cold spell in Dhaka on Wednesday to pay their last respects to Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh’s first female prime minister, who died a day earlier. The flag-draped vehicle carrying Ms. Zia’s body took about two hours to reach a roughly 30-acre field in front of Parliament, where rows of mourners stood silently as an imam led funeral prayers.

She was later buried next to her husband, Ziaur Rahman. The ceremony was conducted under tight security, with more than 10,000 troops deployed. The interim government led by Muhammad Yunus gave Ms. Zia a state funeral and declared a three-day mourning period. Ms. Zia chaired the Bangladesh Nationalist Party until her death.

Her passing comes weeks before a general election scheduled for Feb. 12, the first since the August 2024 student revolution that toppled Sheikh Hasina’s government. With the Awami League banned from political activity, the B.N.P. is widely expected to be favored; Ms. Zia’s son, Tarique Rahman, who recently returned from 17 years in exile, is seen as a leading candidate and posted a video reciting from the Quran while meeting visiting dignitaries.

The funeral unfolded against a backdrop of mounting political and religious violence in Bangladesh, including recent riots after the shooting and later death of student leader Sharif Osman bin Hadi, rising anti-India sentiment following Ms.

Key Topics

Sports, United States, World, Bangladesh, Khaleda Zia, Elections, Security