External affairs minister S. Jaishankar handed over a letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Tarique Rahman after he landed in Dhaka to attend Khaleda Zia’s funeral on Wednesday.
Shortly after arriving in Dhaka, Jaishankar met Zia's son Rahman and conveyed India's deepest condolences over the death of the BNP leader who dominated the country's politics for over three decades.
In a post on X, Jaishankar wrote, “On arrival in Dhaka, met with Tarique Rahman, Acting Chairman of BNP and son of former PM of Bangladesh Begum Khaleda Zia. Handed over to him a personal letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”
He added, “Conveyed deepest condolences on behalf of the Government and people of India.”
Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Riaz Hamidullah also said Jaishankar, during his visit to Dhaka, conveyed the condolences of the people and government of India as Bangladesh mourns the passing of the former prime minister.
In a post on X, Hamidullah said that Jaishankar recognised Khaleda Zia's contribution to democracy and expressed optimism about strengthening bilateral ties following Bangladesh's democratic transition through the upcoming election scheduled for February 2026.
On Tuesday, PM Modi condoled Zia's death and recalled his meeting with her during his visit to Dhaka in 2015.
"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," Modi said on social media.
"I recall my warm meeting with her in Dhaka in 2015. We hope that her vision and legacy will continue to guide our partnership. May her soul rest in peace," he said.
Bangladesh's former prime minister Khaleda Zia's funeral prayers were held on Wednesday amid tight security.
The funeral prayer (namaz-e-janaza) was held at the Manik Mia Avenue on Wednesday afternoon.
Baitul Mukarram National Mosque Khatib Mufti Mohammad Abdul Malek conducted the funeral prayers while BNP's Standing Committee Member Nazrul Islam Khan read out a brief biography of Zia.
Jaishankar's visit to Dhaka comes amid frosty ties between India and Bangladesh.
The killing of a Hindus during recent violent protests in Bangladesh has pushed already strained ties between Dhaka and Delhi into a deeper crisis.
Bajendra Biswas, was shot dead in Bangladesh's Mymensingh on Tuesday. Forty-year-old Biswas was killed while on duty at a garment factory by a colleague in Bhaluka upazila.
On December 24, another Hindu youth, identified as Amrit Mondal, was killed by a mob in the Hossaindanga area of Kalimohar Union in Bangladesh. He was accused of visiting a villager’s house to demand extortion money.
Reports say that police alleged Mondal was involved in criminal activities in the area for many years.
Earlier on December 18, a Hindu youth, Dipu Chandra Das, was killed in a mob lynching incident over false blasphemy accusations by a Muslim coworker at his factory in Bhaluka Upazila of Mymensingh. The mob killed Das and then hung his body from a tree before setting it on fire.
The killing of Dipu Das triggered protests across India.
The incident happened hours before violent protests broke out over the murder of Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent student leader, in the capital, Dhaka.
Multiple incidents of arson attacks against Hindu households have also been reported in Bangladesh in recent weeks.
Last week, India voiced grave concern over the "unremitting hostility" against minorities in Bangladesh -- including Hindus, Christians, and Buddhists -- and asserted that it is keeping a close watch on the ongoing developments in its neighbourhood.
