Bangladesh announces three days of state mourning for Khaleda Zia. Here’s how it will be observed

The interim government has declared three days of state mourning following the death of former prime minister and BNP chief Khaleda Zia.

On Tuesday, the Cabinet Division issued a gazette notification announcing the mourning period from Wednesday to Friday, following a special meeting of the government’s Advisory Council.

Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus formally announced the decision in an address to the nation at midday, reports bdnews24.com.

According to the gazette, the government said it was “deeply saddened” by the death of Khaleda Zia, who served as prime minister three times and led the Bangladesh Nationalist Party for more than four decades.

As part of the state mourning, the national flag will be flown at half-mast at all government, semi-government and autonomous institutions, educational establishments, and public and private buildings across Bangladesh. The same measures will apply at Bangladeshi diplomatic missions abroad.

The government has also announced that special prayers will be offered in mosques nationwide on Friday for Khaleda. Similar prayer programmes will be arranged at other religious institutions.

Khaleda died around 6am on Tuesday after undergoing treatment for 40 days at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka.

Having earned a reputation as an “uncompromising leader” during the anti-autocracy movement of the 1990s, she led the BNP for 41 years. Khaleda served as a member of parliament five times, prime minister three times, and leader of the opposition twice.