The government has declared three days of state mourning from Wednesday to Friday (December 31, January 1 and 2) following the death of BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. At the same time, Wednesday will be a general holiday across the country.
Cabinet Secretary Sheikh Abdur Rashid informed reporters at the Secretariat on Tuesday. Earlier, Khaleda Zia passed away at the age of 80 while undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in the capital at 6 am on Tuesday.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir confirmed the news of the death at a press conference this morning and said, “Khaleda Zia’s death is an irreparable loss for the nation. At the time of her death, her eldest son and BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman, along with family members and doctors, were by her side.”
The former prime minister had been suffering from various complications including liver cirrhosis, kidney, heart disease, diabetes and arthritis for a long time. His death has brought mourning across the country.