Foreign Leaders Arrive in Dhaka to Pay Tribute to Khaleda

BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia. Photo: Collected

Foreign ministers, special envoys and senior representatives from several countries are arriving in Dhaka to pay their last respects to former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and to attend her namaz-e-janaza.

The funeral prayers are scheduled to be held at 2:00pm at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban and Manik Mia Avenue. Following the prayers, Khaleda Zia will be laid to rest beside the grave of her husband, former President Ziaur Rahman, at Zia Udyan in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar at around 3:30pm.

Sources at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said representatives from several South and Southeast Asian countries will attend the funeral prayers. Officials view the participation as an expression of diplomatic courtesy and political respect for Khaleda Zia, who played a central role in Bangladesh’s democratic journey.

Those confirmed to attend include Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Speaker of Pakistan’s National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Bhutan’s Foreign Minister D.N. Dhungyel, Maldives President’s special envoy and Higher Education Minister Ali Haidar Ahmed, Nepal’s Foreign Minister Bala Nanda Sharma, and Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath. Representatives from several other countries are also expected to arrive in Dhaka to pay tribute.

Diplomatic sources said the presence of high-level foreign dignitaries is being seen as international recognition of Khaleda Zia’s political stature and her long role in state affairs. A three-time prime minister, she remained a key figure in national politics for decades.

Begum Khaleda Zia passed away around 6:00am on Tuesday at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka while undergoing treatment. She was 80.