External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, who is in Dhaka to attend the funeral of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, briefly met Pakistan National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq on Wednesday, marking the first interaction between senior officials of the two countries since their military conflict in May.
Bangladesh interim government chief Muhammad Yunus shared the photos of the meeting. “Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan, exchanges greetings with Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in Dhaka on Wednesday ahead of the funeral programme of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia,” read the caption in a post on X.
The brief and informal exchange came against the backdrop of sharply deteriorated India Pakistan relations following the Pahalgam attack in April 2025.
Despite a ceasefire announced on 10 May, ties between the two neighbours have remained frozen.
The interaction in Dhaka underscored the continued absence of formal engagement even as officials from both sides shared space at an international event.
The meeting took place at the residence of Khaleda Zia, who died on Tuesday at the age of 80.
Bangladesh’s first woman prime minister and one of its most influential political figures, Zia was accorded a state funeral.
Flags were flown at half-mast and thousands of security personnel were deployed as her body was carried through the streets of the capital in a vehicle draped in the national flag.
World leaders and senior officials from several countries, including India and Pakistan, travelled to Dhaka to attend the funeral ceremonies.
“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,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a brief statement ahead of his visit.
Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Riaz Hamidullah said that Jaishankar conveyed the condolences of the people and government of India during his visit.
In a post on X, Hamidullah said, “HE @DrSJaishankar, Hon. External Affairs Minister, in Dhaka, conveys condolences of the people | Govt of #India as #Bangladesh mourns passing of former Prime Minister #BegumKhaledaZia, recognized her contribution to #democracy and expressed optimism to strengthen ties following democratic transition in Bangladesh through the upcoming election (Feb 2026).”
Shortly after landing in Dhaka, Jaishankar met Bangladesh Nationalist Party leader Tarique Rahman, the acting chairman of the BNP and the eldest son of Khaleda Zia.
He handed over a letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Rahman and conveyed India’s deepest condolences as thousands of people bid farewell to the former prime minister.
Jaishankar expressed sympathy over the loss of a leader who dominated Bangladesh’s politics for more than three decades.