The way the funeral of former prime minister and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia turned into a vast sea of people is a rare event in our history. Last Wednesday, Dhaka truly became a capital of mourning. People from all walks of life, regardless of party affiliation, poured in spontaneously to pay their final respects and express love for Khaleda Zia who came to symbolise uncompromising politics, sacrifice, magnanimity, and unity in Bangladesh’s political life.
Rows of mourners attended the funeral across nearly all the major roads of the capital, extending far beyond the funeral venue at Manik Mia Avenue and the Parliament complex area. Beyond Dhaka, countless people across the country also took part in her absentee funeral prayers. Such an unprecedented scene at the passing of a political leader marks a milestone in Bangladesh’s political history, carrying multifaceted political significance.
Khaleda Zia was laid to rest with full state honours.
The Chief Adviser and other advisers, leaders of political parties of diverse views and ideologies, and diplomats from 32 countries were present at her last rites. Those who came to pay their final respects included India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar; Pakistan’s parliamentary speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq; Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath; Nepal’s Foreign Minister Bala Nanda Sharma; Bhutan’s Foreign Minister D. N. Dhungyel; and the special envoy of the President of the Maldives and the country’s Minister of Higher Education, Ali Haidar Ahmed. Their presence attests to the stature Khaleda Zia held in South Asian politics.
International media outlets carried prominent coverage of her passing, while influential newspapers in India and Pakistan also published editorials on her death.
Although Khaleda Zia has physically passed away, the legacy of love, sacrifice, and magnanimity she left behind in politics is not only for BNP to uphold; it is an essential responsibility for other political parties as well
Politically, Bangladesh stands at a crossroads. Following the mass uprising of 2024, the interim government that assumed responsibility has announced the schedule for the national election. The next elected government will face major challenges, not only steering the country forward on a democratic path, but also addressing social unrest and deep political polarisation.
The source of Khaleda Zia’s extraordinary popularity among the people, transcending party lines, lies in her lifelong practice of political non-compromise. As prime minister three times and leader of the opposition twice, she played an exceptional role in sustaining Bangladesh’s democratic journey. For political reasons, she was not only subjected to unjust imprisonment, repression, and persecution, but also endured profound personal tragedies.
Her elder son, Tarique Rahman, was forced to live in exile for 17 years. Her younger son, Arafat Rahman Koko, died in Malaysia. During the Hasina government, she was evicted from her own residence, kept for long periods in solitary confinement on fabricated corruption charges, and placed under house arrest during the Covid-19 pandemic. Even when her health deteriorated amid the inhumane conditions of prison, she was denied permission to seek medical treatment abroad. Yet, despite such inhuman persecution, she called for abandoning politics of vengeance. All of this has generated unquestioning public support and deep empathy for Khaleda Zia.
In Bangladesh’s present reality, Khaleda Zia’s guardianship was needed more than ever. We believe that although Khaleda Zia has physically passed away, the legacy of love, sacrifice, and magnanimity she left behind in politics is not only for BNP to uphold; it is an essential responsibility for other political parties as well. BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman wrote on Facebook that where his mother’s journey has come to an end, he will try to carry that journey forward from there.
The void created in Bangladesh’s politics by Khaleda Zia’s death cannot be filled. The massive outpouring of people at a political leader’s funeral demonstrates how unwavering the people of this country are in their support for democracy and rule-based politics. The best way to honour Khaleda Zia is to uphold her political ideals and move the country forward on the path of democracy.