After Khaleda Zia’s Funeral, Diplomatic Spotlight on Dhaka: Jaishankar Meets Tarique Rahman, Pakistan Speaker

International

oi-Gaurav Sharma

Former
Bangladesh
Prime
Minister
Khaleda
Zia
was
buried
with
full
state
honours
in
Dhaka
on
Wednesday,
in
a
ceremony
watched
by
thousands
of
mourners
and
visiting
leaders.
External
Affairs
Minister
S.
Jaishankar
represented
India,
underscoring
New
Delhi’s
cautious
outreach
as
India-Bangladesh
relations
remain
tense
after
the
ouster
of
Sheikh
Hasina.

The
80-year-old
Bangladesh
Nationalist
Party
(BNP)
leader
was
laid
to
rest
beside
spouse
and
former
President
Ziaur
Rahman.
The
grave
lies
along
Manik
Mia
Avenue,
close
to
Bangladesh’s
parliament
complex,
turning
the
central
Dhaka
stretch
into
a
heavily
guarded
mourning
zone
during
the
state-organised
farewell.

Jaishankar
visit
Dhaka
and
Khaleda
Zia
funeral
diplomacy

Before
the
funeral
rites,
Jaishankar
met
Khaleda
Zia’s
son
and
acting
BNP
chairman
Tarique
Rahman,
who
is
widely
seen
as
a
frontrunner
for
the
post
of
Bangladesh
Prime
Minister.
Jaishankar
delivered
a
condolence
letter
from
Prime
Minister
Narendra
Modi
and
also
briefly
met
Pakistan’s
National
Assembly
Speaker
Sardar
Ayaz
Sadiq
during
the
visit.

Jaishankar’s
presence
in
Dhaka
comes
as
ties
between
India
and
Bangladesh
face
strain.
Relations
cooled
after
Sheikh
Hasina,
described
as
a
long-time
ally
of
India,
was
removed
from
office.
New
Delhi
has
also
raised
repeated
concerns
over
rising
attacks
on
minorities,
especially
Hindus,
across
the
Muslim-majority
country.

Khaleda
Zia
funeral
Dhaka
crowd
and
state
honours

Braving
cold
weather,
people
from
different
walks
of
life
gathered
in
Dhaka
to
offer
prayers
for
Khaleda
Zia.
Many
cried
during
the
janaza,
asking
for
forgiveness
for
the
three-time
Prime
Minister,
whose
death
drew
emotional
responses
from
supporters
and
rivals
alike
throughout
Bangladesh’s
political
spectrum.

The
national
flag-draped
coffin
was
placed
at
the
west
end
of
Manik
Mia
Avenue,
creating
a
ceremonial
focal
point.
After
funeral
prayers,
officials
conducted
the
burial
beside
Ziaur
Rahman.
Members
of
the
public
were
barred
from
the
actual
interment,
as
authorities
carried
out
an
elaborate
state
funeral
under
strict
security
arrangements.

Khaleda
Zia
died
on
Tuesday
after
a
long
period
of
illness,
aged
80.
The
death
occurred
just
five
days
after
Tarique
Rahman
returned
to
Bangladesh
from
London,
ending
17
years
of
exile.
Tarique
Rahman
had
been
living
in
the
United
Kingdom
and
now
again
occupies
a
central
role
in
BNP
politics.

Several
senior
representatives
from
South
Asian
nations
attended
the
funeral
alongside
Jaishankar,
reflecting
regional
interest
in
Bangladesh’s
shifting
political
landscape.
Delegates
flew
in
from
Nepal,
Bhutan,
Sri
Lanka
and
the
Maldives
for
the
ceremony
in
central
Dhaka.

India’s
concerns
have
grown
since
an
interim
government
led
by
Chief
Advisor
Muhammad
Yunus
took
charge
in
August
2024.
New
Delhi
has
highlighted
repeated
incidents
of
violence
against
Hindus
and
damage
to
their
properties.
Against
this
charged
backdrop,
Khaleda
Zia’s
funeral
became
both
a
farewell
and
a
sensitive
diplomatic
moment.