Family members pay tributes at Khaleda Zia’s grave

Family members of late BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia visited her grave on Friday morning to pay their respects.

Among those present were Sharmila Rahman Sithi, wife of her younger son Arafat Rahman Koko and Zaima Rahman, daughter of her elder son Tarique Rahman. Several other relatives, along with senior leaders and activists of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), accompanied them during the visit.

Begum Khaleda Zia passed away on Tuesday morning while undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka. Her funeral prayers were held on Wednesday at Manik Mia Avenue, drawing hundreds of thousands of mourners, including representatives from different countries.

Later the same day, she was laid to rest with state honours beside the grave of her late husband, former President Ziaur Rahman, at the Bijoy Sarani graveyard.

From early Friday morning, BNP leaders and activists began gathering near the Bijoy Sarani Road intersection, resulting in heavy traffic in surrounding areas. Although roads were opened around 9:00 AM, security personnel initially restricted public access to the burial site.

Authorities later allowed public entry in the afternoon, enabling party leaders, activists and supporters to pay homage at the grave of the former prime minister.