“Khaleda Zia’s role in strengthening India–Bangladesh ties will be remembered”

India’s defence minister Rajnath Singh has said that former Bangladesh prime minister Khaleda Zia made an important contribution to strengthening relations between India and Bangladesh, and that her significant role will always be remembered.

He conveyed this message today, Thursday, while paying his final respects to the former prime minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson, Khaleda Zia.

Rajnath Singh visited the Bangladesh High Commission in Delhi today. He went to the mission and wrote this message in the condolence book kept there for the former prime minister, paying tribute to her.

Rajnath Singh wrote that, on behalf of the government and people of India, he expresses his heartfelt condolences on the death of former prime minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson Khaleda Zia. Her notable contribution to strengthening relations between India and Bangladesh will always be remembered.

Earlier, upon his arrival at the Bangladesh mission, Bangladesh’s high commissioner to Delhi, M Riaz Hamidullah, received him.

This marks the second time that India’s defence minister Rajnath Singh has visited the Bangladesh High Commission in Delhi.

Previously, on 22 November 2021, he went to the mission as the chief guest at the Bangladesh Armed Forces Day programme in Delhi. That year, the event was held the day after Armed Forces Day (21 November).

Rajnath Singh’s visit to the Bangladesh mission in 2021 was considered an exceptional step that departed from established protocol.

In the context of the close relationship with the then Awami League government, his participation in the Armed Forces Day programme was seen as a special gesture of honour and a notable example of military–diplomatic goodwill.

Khaleda Zia passed away last Tuesday while undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in the capital.

Her funeral prayer (namaz-e-janaza) and burial were completed yesterday, Wednesday. People from all walks of life, regardless of party affiliation, attended her funeral in large numbers.

After the funeral prayer, Khaleda Zia was laid to rest beside the grave of her husband, former president and BNP founder Ziaur Rahman, at Zia Udyan in the capital.

Yesterday, at around 1:30 pm, India’s external affairs minister S Jaishankar met BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman.

At that time, he handed over India’s condolence message to Tarique Rahman. Earlier yesterday, at around 11:30 am, Jaishankar arrived in Dhaka on a special flight of the Indian Air Force.