Hundreds of thousands of people travelled from across Bangladesh to the capital Dhaka on Wednesday to pay their final respects to former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.
Zia, who was the country's first female prime minister, died on Tuesday from a prolonged illness. She was 80.
The mourners held out their hands in prayer and carried flags printed with her photographs as a motorcade carrying Zia's body - including the hearse wrapped with the national flag - drove on streets near the parliament house.
Flags were flown at half-mast, and thousands of security officers were deployed.
I have come this far just to say goodbye. I know I won't be able to see her face, but at least I could see the [vehicle] carrying her for the last rites, said Setara Sultana, an activist from Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
Sharmina Siraj, a mother of two, called Zia an inspiration, noting that stipends introduced by the former leader to improve women's education made a huge impact on her daughters.
India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, the Speaker of Pakistan's National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, and Bhutan's Foreign Minister Lyonpo DN Dhungyel were among those who attended the funeral.
Earlier in the day, Zia's body was taken to the house of her son Tarique Rahman, who was seen reciting the Quran beside his mother's office.
The state funeral marks the end of Zia's extraordinary journey, from a homemaker to the first female prime minister of Bangladesh.
Zia was buried next to her husband, Ziaur Rahman, who was assassinated in 1981 while serving as president — an incident that thrust Zia into the political limelight.
She went on to lead the BNP in the country's first elections in 20 years and became an uncompromising leader after refusing to participate in a controversial election under military ruler General Hussain Muhammad Ershad in the 1980s.
Throughout her political career, Zia remained a significant figure in Bangladesh's struggle for democracy against military dictatorships alongside her rival Sheikh Hasina.
Despite her health struggles in later years, Zia intended to run for parliament in the upcoming 2026 elections, reflecting her enduring commitment to democratic processes in Bangladesh.
