Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed sorrow over the death of former Bangladesh PM Khaleda Zia, recalling their 2015 meeting as funeral preparations begin in Dhaka.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Bangladesh’s former prime minister Khaleda Zia during their meeting in Dhaka in 2015. | Pic courtesy: X/@narendramodi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday expressed deep sorrow over the death of Bangladesh’s former prime minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson Khaleda Zia.
In a post on X, PM Modi said he was “deeply saddened” by Khaleda Zia’s demise and extended sympathies to her family and the people of Bangladesh. He said her role as the country’s first woman prime minister and her contributions to bilateral relations would always be remembered.
Advertisement
Recalling his meeting with her in Dhaka in 2015, the PM said he hoped her vision and legacy would continue to guide India-Bangladesh ties. He also prayed for strength for her family to bear the loss.
Advertisement
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.
As the… pic.x.com/BLg6K52vak
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 30, 2025
Khaleda Zia, 80, passed away at around 6 am on Tuesday at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka, where she had been undergoing treatment for the past five weeks. The BNP confirmed that she died shortly after the Fajr prayers.
Also Read: Former Bangladesh PM Khaleda Zia dies at 80 after prolonged illness | Latest updates
According to BNP leaders, Khaleda Zia’s namaz-e-janaza is likely to be held on Wednesday at Manik Mia Avenue in Dhaka.
Khaleda Zia had been admitted to Evercare Hospital on November 23 after developing serious infections affecting her heart and lungs. Party officials said she was also suffering from pneumonia, and her condition had worsened steadily in recent days despite medical care.
A dominant and often controversial presence in Bangladeshi politics for more than three decades, Khaleda Zia served as prime minister three times after leading the BNP to victory in 1991. She was the country’s first female prime minister and remained one of its most influential political figures.
She was the widow of Gen Ziaur Rahman, a freedom fighter and former military ruler of Bangladesh. Her political career shaped much of the country’s modern electoral history, marked by intense rivalry and mass movements.
Also Read: Begum Khaleda Zia: Life, politics and legacy of Bangladesh’s first woman PM
Khaleda Zia’s death is widely seen as a turning point ahead of Bangladesh’s upcoming elections. Political observers believe public sympathy following her passing could strengthen the BNP’s prospects.
Her son, Tarique Rahman, 60, returned to Bangladesh just last week after 17 years in self-imposed exile in the United Kingdom. He had come back to be at his mother’s bedside and is expected to play a central role in the party’s future leadership if the BNP returns to power.
Khaleda Zia had been jailed on corruption charges in 2018 during the previous administration and was released last year amid mass anti-government protests that forced then prime minister Sheikh Hasina into exile.
Her passing marks the end of an era in Bangladeshi politics, with far-reaching implications for the country’s political landscape and regional diplomacy.
Advertisement
