Pakistan speaker, India’s Jaishankar hold brief meeting in Dhaka during Khaleda Zia funeral visit

Pakistan’s National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq met India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on the sidelines of his visit to Bangladesh, marking the first high-level exchange between the two nuclear-armed neighbors since their conflict in May.

The brief interaction took place at the residence of former Bangladeshi prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia, where Jaishankar walked up to Sadiq and the two leaders exchanged pleasantries.

The meeting was viewed as a notable diplomatic moment, unfolding in a multilateral and humanitarian setting amid strained relations between Pakistan and India.

Condolences for Khaleda Zia

Sadiq was in Dhaka to convey condolences following the death of Khaleda Zia, a towering political figure who dominated Bangladesh’s politics for decades.

The speaker also met Tariq Rehman, Zia’s son, along with her daughter, on Wednesday. During the meeting, Sadiq expressed heartfelt condolences on behalf of Pakistan’s parliament and people.

Pakistan’s National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq (L) meets Tarique Rahman in Dhaka on December 31, 2025.Nukta

He offered prayers for the departed soul and strength for the bereaved family, according to the statement, reflecting goodwill and mutual respect between Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Bangladesh bid farewell to Khaleda Zia

Bangladesh bid farewell to Khaleda Zia on Wednesday with a state funeral that drew vast crowds across the capital.

Zia, the first woman to serve as prime minister of Bangladesh, died on Tuesday at the age of 80. Her political career spanned decades in the South Asian nation of 170 million people.

Flags were flown at half-mast as thousands of security officers lined the streets of Dhaka. Her body was carried through the capital on a vehicle draped in the national flag.

Large crowds gathered outside parliament and filled the surrounding streets, many waving Bangladesh’s national flag and those of her Bangladesh Nationalist Party.

Prayers were held over her coffin before her burial alongside her late husband, former president Ziaur Rahman, who was assassinated in 1981.

Despite years of ill health and imprisonment, Zia had vowed to campaign in elections scheduled for February 12, the first since a mass uprising toppled her longtime rival Sheikh Hasina last year.

Her BNP party is widely seen as a frontrunner. Her son Tarique Rahman, who returned last week after 17 years in exile, is viewed as a potential prime minister if the party secures a majority.

Interim Prime Minister Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, declared three days of national mourning and described Zia as a “great guardian” of the country.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he hoped Zia’s vision and legacy would continue to guide India’s partnership with Bangladesh.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also expressed his condolences on X. “I am deeply saddened by the passing of Begum Khaleda Zia, Chairperson of the BNP and former Prime Minister of Bangladesh. Her lifelong service to Bangladesh and its growth and development leave a lasting legacy,” he said.

“Begum Zia was a committed friend of Pakistan. My government and the people of Pakistan stand with the people of Bangladesh in this moment of sorrow. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family, friends, and the people of Bangladesh during this difficult time. May Allah (SWT) bless her soul. Ameen!”