BNP leaders, activists pay fateha at Khaleda’s grave

Staff Reporter :

One day after her burial, leaders and activists of the BNP, along with ordinary citizens, gathered at the grave of former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia on Thursday to offer fateha and pay their respects.

The authorities opened the gate of Zia Udyan to the public after 12:00 noon, enabling visitors to enter the area and visit her grave.

Earlier in the day, a large crowd had assembled outside the premises, but security personnel restricted entry, keeping the gate closed to the general public since the completion of her burial on Wednesday evening.

After the gate was opened at noon, people were seen offering prayers and placing flowers and wreaths at the grave, expressing their love and reverence for their beloved leader.

Khaleda Zia was laid to rest beside her late husband, former President Ziaur Rahman, following a historic namaz-e-janaza held on Wednesday.

Former State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfozzaman Babar visited the grave in the morning under tight security, while BNP Joint Secretary General Syed Emran Saleh Prince offered prayers from outside the security cordon.

Speaking to reporters later, Babar said Khaleda Zia remained steadfast in upholding the ideals of Ziaur Rahman and that BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman is continuing to follow those principles.

He called upon the people to pray for her departed soul, saying, “May Allah grant her the highest place in Jannatul Firdaus.”

Supporters from different parts of the country, including students, women, children, and elderly people, continued to visit the grave throughout the afternoon. Many visitors were seen in tears, while others silently prayed and laid flowers.

Asifur Rahman Biplob, a Jubo Dal leader from Old Dhaka, said he had come to pay his final respects to the late BNP chief, praising her lifelong struggle for democracy and noting that future generations would remember her contributions.

Several visitors travelled from outside Dhaka, including Fatema Sharmin from Munshiganj and BNP Panchagarh district president Jahirul Islam, who also paid tribute at the grave.

Security at the mausoleum was tight, with members of the Army, Police, and other law enforcement agencies deployed to maintain order.

Begum Khaleda Zia passed away early Tuesday morning at Evercare Hospital at the age of 80. Her namaz-e-janaza was held on Manik Mia Avenue on Wednesday in the presence of millions, after which she was buried beside her late husband with full state honours.