Dhaka: India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Wednesday personally handed over a condolence letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Tarique Rahman, acting chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), as Bangladesh observes deep mourning following the death of former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia.
Jaishankar, who arrived in Dhaka to attend the state funeral of the three-time prime minister, met Tarique Rahman — Zia’s son and political heir — at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. In a solemn exchange, he conveyed India’s “deep respect and heartfelt condolences” on behalf of the Government and people of India, delivering Modi’s personal letter, according to various media reports.
On arrival in Dhaka, met with Mr Tarique Rahman @trahmanbnp, Acting Chairman of BNP and son of former PM of Bangladesh Begum Khaleda Zia.
Handed over to him a personal letter from Prime Minister @narendramodi.
Conveyed deepest condolences on behalf of the Government and… pic.twitter.com/xXNwJsRTmZ
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) December 31, 2025
The Indian delegation’s gesture underscores the longstanding ties between the two neighbours even as Bangladesh grapples with the loss of one of its most influential political figures. Khaleda Zia’s passing at age 80 after a prolonged illness has triggered nationwide grief, with thousands gathering for funeral prayers and tributes across Dhaka.
In Bangladesh’s interim capital, state mourning continues with a three-day period of national grief declared by the government. The burial will see full state honours, and foreign dignitaries from the region and beyond are present to pay their respects.
Zia, the country’s first female prime minister, dominated Bangladesh’s political landscape for decades. A key leader of the BNP, she played a pivotal role in restoring parliamentary democracy in the early 1990s and shaped the nation’s political discourse through successive electoral battles.
Her death leaves a significant void in Bangladeshi politics on the cusp of the 2026 national elections, with many supporters and observers now turning their attention to Tarique Rahman’s leadership of the BNP.
