Prayers, tribute for Khaleda Zia continue

A wave of quiet prayers and shared grief swept across the country on Friday as thousands of people gathered in mosques after the Jumma prayer, offering special doa for the eternal peace of BNP Chairperson and former prime minister Khaleda Zia.

Thousands of people from all walks of life irrespective of religion also paid tributes to the grave of Khaleda Zia on the third and last day of state mourning.

BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman’s daughter Zaima Rahman and Syeda Sharmila Rahman, wife of late Arafat Rahman Koko and other family members visited the grave and offered prayers for the eternal peace of Khaleda Zia.

Senior BNP leaders, including Mirza Abbas, Amanullah Aman, Habibur Rahman, Zahir Uddin Swapan, Khairul Kabir Khakon and others who contributed a lot in the anti-autocratic rule, along with a large number of party followers, also paid floral tributes at the grave and sought eternal peace for the departed soul.

“It is painful to accept this death because she was subjected to oppression and injustice and was denied proper medical treatment. I may not say everything here, but she was treated in such a way in prison that it became difficult for her to survive,” Abbas said.

Many men and women brought their family members including children from different parts of the country, carrying flowers to pay tribute to the veteran leader.

There were long lines of men and women on the road in front of the parliament building. Members of the law enforcement forces apparently struggled to manage the crowd near Khaleda Zia’s grave.

BNP holds milad, doa mahfil nationwide for Khaleda Zia

The BNP organised a Milad and Doa Mahfil after Asr prayer at the Central Mosque (Azad Mosque) in Gulshan to pray for the forgiveness of the departed soul of Khaleda Zia, the undisputed leader of the restoration of democracy, on Friday.

BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman attended the doa and milad mahfil seeking eternal peace for the departed soul of his mother Khaleda Zia.

Shortly before 4pm, he arrived at the mosque and performed the Asr prayers in congregation and after the prayer, joined a special munajat seeking forgiveness and eternal peace for his mother.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Standing Committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Nazrul Islam Khan, Abdul Moyeen Khan, Mirza Abbas, AZM Zahid Hossain, Joint Secretary General Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anney, among others, were present at the programme.

From the separate prayer area for women inside the mosque, Tarique’s wife Zubaida Rahman, their daughter Zaima Rahman, Sharmila Rahman, and her daughters Zafia Rahman and Jahia Rahman, along with other family members and relatives, also joined the prayers.

Senior BNP leaders of its Dhaka city units, as well as those from its affiliated and associate bodies, attended the programme, offering munajat for the eternal peace of the departed soul of Khaleda Zia.

Earlier in the day, the BNP men placed floral tributes, offered Fateha and prayers at the mausoleum of the independence proclaimer and former president Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Bir Uttam and Khaleda Zia around 11am.

A wreath-paying ceremony, Fateha recitation and prayer mahfil were held at the grave of Khaleda Zia around 3:30pm, jointly organised by the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Muktijodha Dal and the Generation of Liberation War.

A prayer and Milad Mahfil was held inside the TSC of Dhaka University around 5pm, organised by the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, in memory of Khaleda Zia, to pray for the forgiveness of her departed soul.

Last day of state mourning observed

On the last day of state mourning, from city mosques to rural prayer halls, worshippers remembered the former three-time prime minister Khaleda Zia, who was laid to rest beside her husband, Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman, at Zia Udyan in Dhaka on Wednesday.

Earlier, the Islamic Foundation, in line with the directives of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, issued an official letter announcing the holding special doa for Khaleda Zia in all mosques nationwide after Jumma prayers.

At the national mosque Baitul Mukarram, a special doa was held following the Jumma prayers for the salvation of her departed soul on Friday.

During the three-day state mourning, the national flag was kept at half-mast at all government, semi-government, autonomous bodies and educational institutions, as well as public and private buildings and Bangladesh missions abroad.

Besides, BNP announced a seven-day nationwide mourning and as part of its programme, party leaders and activists observed the third day of mourning nationwide.

Black flags were hoisted at party offices, leaders wore black badges while Quran recitations and prayer gatherings were held at central, district and upazila level offices of the party across the country.