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Khaleda Zia’s vision to guide India-Bangladesh ties, Jaishankar tells her son
Jaishankar’s brief visit was the first by an Indian minister since bilateral ties hit an all-time low following the formation of the interim government in 2024
NEW DELHI: External affairs minister S Jaishankar represented India at the funeral of former prime minister Khaleda Zia in Dhaka on Wednesday and told her son and political heir Tarique Rahman that her vision will guide the development of the partnership between India and Bangladesh.
Jaishankar’s brief visit, which lasted about four hours, was the first by an Indian minister since bilateral ties hit an all-time low following the formation of the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus in August 2024. It was widely perceived in diplomatic circles as part of the Indian government’s outreach to the leadership of Khaleda’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), widely tipped to emerge as the largest party in the election scheduled for February 12.
Like other visiting regional leaders, Jaishankar met Tarique Rahman, the acting chairman of the BNP, who recently returned from 17 years in self-exile in Britain, at the Parliament complex. Jaishankar said on social media he handed over a personal letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Rahman.
“Conveyed deepest condolences on behalf of the Government and people of India. Expressed confidence that Begum Khaleda Zia’s vision and values will guide the development of our partnership,” Jaishankar said.
Bangladesh’s high commissioner to India, Riaz Hamidullah, who was present at the meeting, said on social media that Jaishankar conveyed the condolences of the people and government of India over the death of Khaleda and recognised her contribution to democracy. Jaishankar “expressed optimism to strengthen [Bangladesh-India] ties following democratic transition in Bangladesh [through] the upcoming election”, he said
Hamidullah also said in a social media post that the two countries “would look forward to script a new chapter in [Bangladesh-India] ties, in shared interests driven by pragmatism and mutual interdependence”, and noted that this issue was briefly discussed by Jaishankar with Rahman.
Bangladesh’s National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman, de facto law minister Asif Nazrul, Indian high commissioner Pranay Verma and senior BNP leaders were present during Jaishankar’s meeting with Rahman, who has been leading the party from abroad since his mother became seriously ill a few years ago.
There was no official readout from the Indian side of the meeting. Unlike other regional leaders, Jaishankar didn’t meet Yunus.
When the regional leaders gathered in the same room at the Parliament complex, Jaishankar briefly exchanged pleasantries with Pakistan National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, according to people familiar with the matter. The people said that there were no formal discussions during the brief interaction, which marked the first contact between senior leaders of India and Pakistan since the two sides fought a four-day conflict in May.
India targeted terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan on May 7 in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack in April. This triggered a brief but intense conflict that ended when military officials from both sides reached an agreement to halt hostilities on May 10.
Jaishankar also interacted with Bangladesh’s de facto foreign minister Touhid Hossain, Sri Lankan foreign minister Vijitha Herath, Nepal’s foreign minister Bala Nanda Sharma, Bhutan’s foreign minister DN Dhungyel and Maldivian minister Ali Haidar Ahmed.
Millions of people gathered in Dhaka for the funeral prayers for Khaleda, a three-time PM who had long engaged in a bitter rivalry with former premier Sheikh Hasina, whose Awami League was ousted from power in August 2024 after weeks of student-led protests. Khaleda died early on Tuesday in a Dhaka hospital, days after Rahman’s return to Bangladesh.
The funeral prayers were held in front of the Parliament building and mourners spilled into several roads and streets around the complex. Yunus, ministers of the interim government and senior civilian and military officials joined the prayers. Khaleda was later buried with state honours beside the grave of her husband, former military ruler Ziaur Rahman.
