External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will fly to Dhaka on Wednesday to attend the funeral of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. “Dr. S. Jaishankar, the External Affairs Minister, 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 visit Dhaka on December 31, 2025, according to a ministry release issued on Tuesday. Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh’s first female prime minister, died at the age of 80 early Tuesday morning. Khaleda died about 6 a.m. (local time), shortly after the Fajr prayer, according to a Facebook announcement from her party, the Bangladesh National Party.
According to ANI, she was brought to Evercare Hospital in Dhaka on November 23 for treatment of a lung infection. The former Bangladesh Prime Minister had long suffered from health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, liver cirrhosis, and kidney difficulties. She was transported to London for sophisticated medical care earlier this month, according to the ANI report.
Global leaders offered their condolences following Khaleda Zia’s death, noting her vital role in Bangladesh’s political journey. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his “deep sadness” upon learning of Khaleda’s loss.
