Tears glistened in some eyes, tasbih beads clutched in some hands, and others walked silently with heavy hearts. This was the scene among people attending the funeral of former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia. Her funeral is scheduled to be held at Manik Mia Avenue at 2:00 pm on Wednesday (31 December), but people began arriving at the venue early in the morning.
By 11:00 am, reporters on the ground observed a massive turnout at Manik Mia Avenue and surrounding areas, despite the dense fog and biting cold. As time passed, even more people gathered, their faces reflecting the grief of losing a steadfast national leader.
Speaking to reporters at Khamarbari, Rakibul Islam, who had come to attend the funeral, said, “I came to pay my respects to my beloved leader at my own expense. I could not stay home in this situation. I do not know if Bangladesh will see such a patriotic and courageous leader again. I have come to bid her my final farewell.”
Reporters stationed at various points in Dhaka noted that, since morning, vehicles have been entering the city in long queues through all main entry points. People arriving from distant parts of the country are leaving their vehicles and walking toward Manik Mia Avenue to pay their last respects to Khaleda Zia.
Meanwhile, law enforcement agencies have put special security arrangements in place for the funeral. Alongside the police, the APBn, RAB, BGB, and the Army will be deployed, with more than 10,000 personnel ensuring overall security.
According to the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), heightened security will be maintained around the hearse from Evercare Hospital to Manik Mia Avenue. Law enforcement personnel have been stationed in and around Manik Mia Avenue, Zia Udyan, and neighbouring areas since the night of 30 December. Maximum security measures will remain in place across the capital from the funeral to the burial.
The DMP added that all preparations have been completed to ensure that people from all walks of life can pay their respects to the national leader without any hindrance. Necessary arrangements have also been made for the public to gather along the roads surrounding Manik Mia Avenue.
Several foreign dignitaries are expected to attend the funeral, including the Speaker of Pakistan, the Foreign Minister of India, the Foreign Minister of Bhutan, a special envoy of the President of the Maldives, the Maldives’ Minister of Higher Education, and representatives from Sri Lanka and Nepal.