Amid tensions with Bangladesh, S Jaishankar to visit Dhaka today to attend Khaleda Zia’s funeral, Begum to be buried beside…

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will represent India(BHARAT) in the funeral of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. Jaishankar will arrive in Bangladesh today with an India(BHARAT)n government delegation and attend the funeral of Bangladesh Nationalist Party Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia.

This visit by S. Jaishankar is significant because of the current tension between Bangladesh and India(BHARAT) over several issues. Hindu minorities are being targeted in the neighboring country and senior Bangladeshi leaders are also making frequent statements against India(BHARAT). In this context, the Foreign Minister’s visit to Dhaka is extremely significant.

Expressing grief over Khaleda Zia’s demise, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that she will always be remembered for her significant contribution to the country’s development and India(BHARAT)-Bangladesh relations as the first woman Prime Minister of Bangladesh. PM Modi also recalled his warm meeting with her in Dhaka in 2015. He said, “We hope that her vision and legacy will continue to guide our partnership.”

Played an important role in restoring democracy

Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh’s first female prime minister and chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, died a day earlier. She was 80. She played a key role in restoring democracy after a turbulent military rule and dominated the country’s politics for decades. Khaleda Zia had a long political career, including periods of imprisonment and house arrest. She was acquitted of corruption charges and allowed to travel to London for medical treatment after Sheikh Hasina’s ouster. Khaleda Zia had been planning to run in the parliamentary elections in February, which could be Bangladesh’s first elections since the popular uprising in late 2024.