External Affairs Minister of India, S. Jaishankar, will visit Dhaka on Wednesday to pay his last respects to Khaleda Zia, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson and the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh.
S. Jaishankar to represent India at funeral
"The External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar will represent the Government and people of India at the funeral of Begum Khaleda Zia, former Prime Minister of Bangladesh and Chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. He will accordingly visit Dhaka on 31 December 2025," Hindustan Times reported a ministry release as stating on Tuesday.
PM Modi pays tribute
Prime Minister Narendra Modi recalled the time he met her in Dhaka in 2015. The Prime Minister wrote on X, "Deeply saddened to learn about the passing away of former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia in Dhaka. Our sincerest condolences to her family and all the people of Bangladesh. May the Almighty grant her family the fortitude to bear this tragic loss."
He added, "As the first woman Prime Minister of Bangladesh, her important contributions towards the development of Bangladesh, as well as India-Bangladesh relations, will always be remembered. I recall my warm meeting with her in Dhaka in 2015. We hope that her vision and legacy will continue to guide our partnership." He prayed for her soul to rest in peace.
Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh's first woman prime minister and one of the South Asian nation's most powerful political figures, died on Tuesday at the age of 80, after an extended illness, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) said in a statement. She had been suffering from several health complications, such as advanced cirrhosis of the liver, arthritis, diabetes, and serious chest and heart problems. She was undergoing treatment at a specialised private hospital in Dhaka.
