The death of Bangladesh’s first woman prime minister Khaleda Zia Tuesday marks a milestone in the nation’s fraught politics and will shape the way ahead, including how it engages with India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed his condolences and External Affairs minister S Jaishankar will travel to Dhaka to attend her funeral on Wednesday. Modi posted on X, “Deeply saddened to learn about the passing away of former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia in Dhaka. How Khaleda oversaw downturn in relations with IndiaBegum Zia, as she was popularly known, served as prime minister between 1991 and 1996, and again from 2001 to 2006. Between 2001 and 2006, anti-India terrorist outfits and insurgent groups targeting India’s Northeast found space in Bangladesh, after Zia joined hands with the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami.

Source: Indian Express December 31, 2025 05:40 UTC