The body of BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia was taken to Gulshan Avenue residence of her elder son and party’s acting Chairman Tarique Rahman from Evercare Hospital in Dhaka on Wednesday morning, with a flag-wrapped vehicle.

Though her body was initially scheduled to be taken to her residence Firoza, the vehicle was later taken to the residence of BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman at House No 196 on Gulshan Avenue.

A freezer-van wrapped in the red-and-green national flag, carrying the BNP chief’s body, left Evercare Hospital at around 8:55AM and reached Tarique Rahman’s residence at about 9:16AM amid tight security.

After the body arrived, senior BNP leaders, including party Secretary General Mirza Abbas Standing Committee members Nazrul Islam Khan, Abdul Moyeen Khan and Selima Rahman, reached the residence.

Tarique Rahman was seen sitting quietly inside the house, reciting from the Holy Quran.

From early morning, a large number of party leaders, activists and ordinary people gathered on the roads around the residence and nearby Firoza, Khaleda Zia’s own house, to pay their last respects. Many stood silently, while others were seen praying.

Later, Khaleda Zia’s body will be taken to the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad, where her namaz-e-janaza will be held.

After the funeral prayers, she will be laid to rest beside the grave of her husband, late President Ziaur Rahman, at Zia Udyan in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar.

The three-time Prime Minister passed away at Evercare Hospital at around 6AM on Tuesday while undergoing treatment for more than a month at the Evercare Hospital.