NEW DELHI DEC 30: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will represent India at the state funeral of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia on December 31 in Dhaka. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson passed away on December 30, 2025, at the age of 80 after a prolonged illness at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka.
The Ministry of External Affairs announced that Jaishankar will represent the government and people of India at the funeral ceremony. Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to the former Bangladesh leader, highlighting the significance of the visit amid currently strained bilateral relations.
Zia had been battling multiple health complications including advanced liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, and heart problems. She was hospitalized in critical condition on November 23, 2025, and was placed on ventilator support on December 12 as her condition deteriorated. The BNP announced she passed away around 6 am local time, shortly after Fajr prayer.
This visit comes at a time when India-Bangladesh relations face significant challenges, described by India’s Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs as the greatest strategic challenge since 1971. Despite tensions, both nations have shown recent positive gestures, including the successful repatriation of fishermen and continued diplomatic engagement. Jaishankar’s attendance at the funeral signals India’s commitment to maintaining diplomatic ties with Bangladesh during this transitional political period.
