Jaishankar Shakes Hands with Pak Speaker at Khaleda Zia's Funeral in Dhaka

Khaleda Zia's last rites | Jaishankar shakes hands with Pak Speaker Dhaka, 31/12 (Agency): Bangladesh's first female Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's last rites were performed on Wednesday. Her 'surpoor-e-khaq' was performed at 5 pm. Khaleda took her last rest near the tomb of her husband and former Bangladesh President Ziaur Rahman in the Zia Garden in the National Parliament complex. More than one million people gathered during Khaleda's last journey and bid her a tearful farewell. She passed away on Tuesday morning at the age of 80. She had been on a ventilator for 20 days. The Bangladesh government has declared a three-day national mourning on her demise. Leaders of various countries, including India, had reached Dhaka to attend Khaleda's funeral. Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar wrote in a letter to Khaleda's High Commissioner Riaz Hamidullah, saying India and Bangladesh will work together and write a new chapter in the coming days. Apart from Jaishankar, Pakistan Parliament Speaker Sarkar Ayaz Sadiq, Bhutan's Foreign Minister D N Dhungol, Nepal's Foreign Minister Bala Nanda Sharma bid a tearful farewell, and 10 lakh people of Sri Lanka mourned. Jaishankar met Khaleda's son and BNP working president Tariq Rahman and handed over a condolence message sent on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Jaishankar's visit was accompanied by Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Bijeeta Herath, who is based in India, and Maldives Higher Education and Labour Minister Dr. Ali Haider. Foreign Minister Jaishankar met all the leaders. Khaleda Zia was the Prime Minister of Bangladesh twice, from 1991 to 1996 and from 2001 to 2006. She was active in Bangladeshi politics for four decades. She was the wife of former President Zia-ur-Rehman. S Jaishankar shook hands with Pakistan's National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq in Dhaka on Wednesday. Both had reached Dhaka to attend Khaleda Zia's funeral. The photo of this has surfaced on social media after being shared by Muhammad Yunus. Bangladesh's Chief Home Affairs Advisor Mohammad Yunus shared two photos of Jaishankar and Sadiq on 'X'. The meeting took place at Khaleda's residence. However, they did not discuss anything. This is the first time since the military clash between India and Pakistan in May 2025 that senior leaders of the two countries have come face to face and shaken hands. This meeting is considered important from a diplomatic point of view. This brief meeting between the two governments was just a protocol. At this time, there have been no bilateral talks. There is no agenda for any talks between the two countries. Apart from this, there is no change in India's policy towards Pakistan. In May, the two countries fought a four-day war. Pakistan was defeated in this.