Khaleda Zia's death: BNP holds emergency meet, Yunus announces 3-day mourning

Dhaka, Dec 30 The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Standing Committee held an emergency meeting on Tuesday to determine the party's next course of action following the death of its chairperson and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, local media reported.

The meeting presided over by Khaleda Zia's son and BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman commenced on Tuesday afternoon at the chairperson's Gulshan office in Dhaka.

Several party members, including BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Standing Committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Abdul Moyeen Khan and Nazrul Islam Khan, attended the meeting, Bangladeshi leading daily Dhaka Tribune reported.

Khaleda Zia passed away early Tuesday morning after a prolonged illness at the age of 80, her party confirmed.

According to a statement issued by the BNP, she died at around 6 a.m. at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka, where she had been undergoing treatment for over a month.

The BNP declared a seven-day mourning programme to mark the passing of Khaleda Zia.

The program announced by BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi stipulates that starting Tuesday, black flags will be hoisted at all party offices nationwide for a week, with party leaders and activists wearing black badges throughout the period.

Reports suggest that BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, during a special meeting of the Bangladesh interim government's Council of Advisors, informed that Khaleda Zia's funeral ceremony will be held on Wednesday in Dhaka.

He said she will be laid to rest beside her husband and former Bangladesh President Ziaur Rahman.

The interim government on Tuesday also announced a three-day state mourning and general holiday on Wednesday to mark Khaleda Zia's death.

The announcement was made by the interim government's Chief Advisor, Muhammad Yunus, in a televised address to the nation on Tuesday.

"I humbly appeal to everyone to maintain discipline in all forms of mourning, including the Namaz-e-Janaza. I know that you are all very emotional at this time. I hope that you will show patience in this time of mourning and cooperate with all those involved in carrying out all the formalities, including her funeral," Bangladeshi media outlet UNB quoted Yunus as saying.

Khaleda had been admitted to the private hospital in Dhaka on November 23 after developing serious complications related to her heart and lungs, and remained under close medical supervision before passing away on Tuesday.

She is survived by her elder son, BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman, his wife Zubaida Rahman, and their daughter Zaima Rahman.

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