Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Khaleda Zia on Wednesday paid her last respects to late President Zillur Rahman at Bangabhaban.Wearing a black badge and taking senior party leaders with her, the former prime minister reached Bangabhaban at about 2:00pm.
Khaleda placed a wreath on the coffin of the President at 2:05pm following the Acting President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
She stood in solemn silence for a while as mark of respect to the President, who died at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore on Wednesday.
Khaleda, who is also the chairperson of the main opposition BNP, talked to the bereaved family members of Zillur Rahman and consoled them.
The opposition leader signed the condolence book opened at the presidential palace.
Among others, BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, standing committee members-Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Moudud Ahmed, MK Anwar, Mirza Abbas and Moyeen Khan, and former Dhaka mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka, were present on the occasion.
Khaleda left Bangabhaban at about 2:30pm after staying there for half an hour.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was at Darbar Hall of Bangabhaban when Khaleda Zia was paying her last respects to the President but there was no one-on-one contact between them.
When Khaleda was offering wreaths on the coffin of the President, premier Hasina was talking with the diplomats, few feet away.
Khaleda later comforted the members of the President’s family, including his son Najmul Hasan, MP, and left Bangabhaban after signing the condolence book. She did not have any word with the reporters either.
While leaving the Bangabhaban, Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told reporters that the vacuum created with the death of President Zillur is not easily to be filled.
Meanwhile, the opposition leader deferred her visit to Bogra and Joypurhat scheduled for Friday and Saturday for a day because of the demise of the president.
(Greenwatch Dhaka Report)
