Bangladesh in Mourning: Vast Crowds Honor First Female PM

Dhaka's streets filled with mourners on Thursday for the state funeral of Khaleda Zia. The former prime minister, Bangladesh's first woman to hold the office, died Tuesday at age 80. Citizens gathered in massive numbers to pay their final respects. The event highlighted her enduring influence in the nation's politics. Zia served as prime minister three times. She led the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) for decades. Her long career made her a central, and often controversial, figure in the country's history. Her political rivalry with Sheikh Hasina, the current prime minister, defined Bangladesh's governance for years. The two women, leading powerful political dynasties, alternated power for much of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. The funeral marks the end of a major chapter in Bangladesh's democracy. Observers note it leaves a significant void in the nation's opposition politics.