Bangladesh bade farewell on Wednesday to former prime minister Khaleda Zia in a state funeral drawing vast crowds, mourning a towering leader whose career defined politics for decades.
Khaleda, the first woman to serve as prime minister in the South Asian nation of 170 million people, died on Tuesday aged 80.
Flags were flown at half-mast, and thousands of security officers lined the streets as her body was carried through the streets of the capital Dhaka in a vehicle in the colours of the national flag.
Large crowds had gathered outside parliament — many waving national flags or those of Khaleda’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) — where the funeral prayers were held at around 3pm local time, according to Dhaka-based Daily Star.