Bangladesh bid farewell to former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia in a state funeral, drawing huge crowds to pay tribute to the towering politician whose leadership shaped the country for decades.

Zia, the first female prime minister of the South Asian nation of 170 million, died on Tuesday at the age of 80. Flags were flown at half-mast across the country on Wednesday and thousands of security personnel lined the streets of Dhaka while her flag-draped coffin passed through the capital.

A large crowd gathered outside Bangladesh’s parliament building to pray for the funeral. Since early morning, people from Dhaka and beyond have been flocking to Manikmiya Avenue, where the parliament building is located, to pay their last respects.

Minhaz Uddin, a 70-year-old retired government official, came despite never voting for her. “My grandson and I are here just to say goodbye to a senior statesman whose contribution will always be remembered,” he said, watching from behind a barbed wire barricade.

Zia entered politics after her husband’s death and rose to prominence by opposing military rulers who were eventually ousted in a massive uprising in 1990. In 1991, following the introduction of parliamentary democracy, she won a landslide victory and became prime minister for the first time, and served as leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party until her death.

Known for her calm demeanor, Zia maintained a fierce political rivalry with her main rival, Sheikh Hasina. Sheikh Hasina led the Bangladesh Awami League party and ruled for 15 years before being ousted in a massive uprising in 2024.

Security measures are extensive, with authorities deploying about 10,000 personnel, including soldiers, to maintain order. The interim government of Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus declared three days of mourning and declared Wednesday a public holiday to honor the three-time prime minister’s legacy.