More than 10,000 law enforcement personnel, including police and Army, will be deployed to ensure tight security during the namaz-e-janaza (Funeral prayer) and burial of former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.
Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam confirmed the arrangements following a meeting at the Ministry of Home Affairs at the Secretariat on Tuesday afternoon.
He said all funeral proceedings, including the janaza and burial, would be conducted with full state honours. The former prime minister’s body will be moved from Evercare Hospital to the National Parliament on Wednesday morning. Special security arrangements will be in place along the entire route, Shafiqul Alam said.
The janaza will be held at the South Plaza of the National Parliament. Over 10,000 members of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, along with Army personnel, will be deployed. The BNP will be assisted wherever necessary, he said.
Shafiqul Alam added that private media outlets will be allowed to cover the janaza, while the burial will be broadcast live only on BTV.
He also confirmed that the Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, along with all members of the advisory council, would attend the janaza.
Earlier, advisers convened the meeting to decide on funeral arrangements, security measures and overall law and order management following Khaleda Zia’s death.
The meeting was chaired by Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury. Other advisers present included Religious Affairs Adviser AFM Khalid Hossain; Adviser for Law, Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, and Youth and Sports Asif Nazrul; Shipping and Labour and Employment Adviser Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain; Cultural Affairs Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki; Adviser for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, Industries, and Housing and Public Works Adilur Rahman Khan; Adviser for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, Road Transport and Bridges, and Railways Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan; Adviser for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Water Resources, and Information Syeda Rizwana Hasan; and Adviser for Liberation War Affairs and Disaster Management and Relief Faruk-e-Azam.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, who served as Prime Minister of Bangladesh three times, passed away at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka on Tuesday at 6am.
Meanwhile, the government has declared a three-day state mourning from Wednesday to Friday (from 31 December to 2 January) following Khaleda Zia’s death. Wednesday (31 December) will be a public holiday across the country.
