External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar arrived in Dhaka on Wednesday to attend the funeral of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, who died a day earlier after a prolonged illness. She was 80.
Khaleda Zia, a three-time prime minister and long-time chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, dominated the country’s politics for decades. Her funeral is scheduled to take place at 2 pm at Manik Mia Avenue, where foreign dignitaries, political leaders and representatives from several countries are expected to be present.
Jaishankar reached Dhaka on a special flight that landed at around 11.30 am. He was received at the airport by Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma. A spokesperson of the Indian mission in Dhaka confirmed his arrival to the state run news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha.
An official statement said Jaishankar is representing the government and people of India at the funeral. After the ceremony, Khaleda Zia will be laid to rest with state honours around 3.30 pm beside her husband, former president and freedom fighter Ziaur Rahman, who was assassinated in 1981.
Khaleda Zia died in Dhaka on Tuesday, bringing an end to a long and influential political career that shaped Bangladesh’s politics for generations.
