The grave of former prime minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has been opened to the public to pay their respects.
The Chandrima Udyan (Zia Udyan) area in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar was opened to visitors on Thursday afternoon. The site had remained temporarily closed since her burial due to renovation work and security concerns.
Khaleda Zia was laid to rest with full state honours on Wednesday afternoon beside the grave of her husband, former president Ziaur Rahman.
From early Thursday morning, a large number of people, including BNP leaders and activists, were seen gathering in the Bijoy Sarani area and its surroundings. Supporters and well-wishers from different parts of the country came to pay tribute and offer prayers at the grave of their beloved leader.
To ensure security, police had placed barricades at the Bijoy Sarani intersection. As entry remained restricted for several hours, many supporters were seen offering prayers from the roadside. Hundreds waited patiently in queues for a long time in the hope of being allowed inside.
Later in the day, after the completion of urgent renovation work, the barricades were removed around noon, allowing the public to enter the area in an orderly manner.
At present, police along with other law enforcement agencies remain deployed across the entire area to maintain security.
