Foreign dignitaries who arrive Dhaka to pay tribute to Khaleda Zia

Several Foreign dignitaries, including ministers, special envoys and official representatives, arrived in Dhaka on Wednesday to pay their last respects to former prime minister and BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and to attend her janaza.

The funeral prayers of the three-time former prime minister were held after Zuhr prayers at Manik Mia Avenue on Wednesday afternoon (December 31).

Diplomatic sources said those who attended included Pakistan’s National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Bhutan’s Foreign Minister D N Dhungyel, Maldives President’s Special Envoy and Higher Education Minister Ali Haidar Ahmed, Nepal’s Foreign Minister Bala Nanda Sharma, and Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath.

Representatives from several other countries also arrived in Dhaka to pay tribute and attend the funeral. Earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had said delegations from multiple South and Southeast Asian countries were expected to join the janaza.

Extensive preparations were made by security agencies and relevant state authorities to ensure the smooth and orderly participation of mourners. Despite arrangements covering the Jatiya Sangsad complex and Manik Mia Avenue, the influx of mourners spread across surrounding roads, where party leaders, activists and members of the public gathered from early morning to pay their respects.