Khaleda Zia’s funeral today: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to represent India in Dhaka

India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will travel to Dhaka on Wednesday to represent the Government of India at the funeral of former Bangladesh prime minister Khaleda Zia, officials said on Tuesday.

The Ministry of External Affairs said Jaishankar will attend the last rites on behalf of the Indian government and people, marking India’s formal participation in the farewell of one of Bangladesh’s most influential political figures.

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Khaleda Zia passed away early Tuesday morning at the age of 80 after a prolonged illness. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which she led for decades, said she died around 6 am at a private hospital in Dhaka, where she had been under treatment for over a month.

Also Read: Exit Khaleda, Enter Tarique!

She had been admitted on November 23 after developing serious complications related to her heart and lungs. In her final weeks, doctors described her condition as fragile, with reports indicating she was also battling pneumonia. Plans to shift her abroad for advanced treatment were considered earlier this month but later dropped due to medical advice against travel.

Condolences poured in from across the region. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was deeply saddened by her death, describing Khaleda Zia as a historic leader whose role in shaping Bangladesh and India-Bangladesh relations would be remembered.

As South Asia prepares to bid farewell, several neighbouring countries are sending senior representatives to Dhaka. Apart from India, Pakistan’s National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, foreign ministers from Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bhutan, and a special envoy from the Maldives are expected to attend the funeral, according to official announcements.

Jaishankar’s visit will also be closely watched diplomatically, as it will be the first minister-level visit from India to Bangladesh since the political transition in Dhaka earlier this year.

Khaleda Zia, the widow of former president Ziaur Rahman, made history as Bangladesh’s first woman prime minister and served two terms in office. She is to be laid to rest at Zia Udyan in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, beside her husband’s grave.