Dhaka, Dec. 30 -- Bangladesh has declared three days of state mourning following the death of former prime minister and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, with a public holiday announced for Wednesday, the day of her funeral prayers.

The decision was taken at an emergency meeting of the interim government's Advisory Council on Tuesday and was later announced by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus in an address to the nation.

The address was broadcast simultaneously on state-run Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar from midday.

Khaleda was declared dead by doctors around 6am on Tuesday after spending 40 days receiving treatment at Dhaka's Evercare Hospital.

She led the BNP for more than four decades and emerged as a central figure during the ...