The Indian Parliament paid homage to former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia on the opening day of its 2026-27 Budget Session.
After the president’s address to the joint sitting of both Houses, the Parliament observed obituary references to the passing of former Indian MPs L Ganesan, Suresh Kalmadi, and Khaleda Zia, reports Wionews.
The tribute to Khaleda Zia comes amid a period of strained relations between India and Bangladesh, it said.
Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh’s first woman prime minister, passed away at 80 after a prolonged illness. She had been admitted to Evercare Hospital since November 23 and placed on ventilator support from December 11. Her death coincides with heightened political turmoil in Bangladesh ahead of the February 2026 election.
On the day of her passing, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences, highlighting her contributions to Bangladesh’s development and India-Bangladesh relations. Sharing photos from his 2015 meeting with Khaleda, Modi said her vision and legacy would continue to guide the bilateral partnership.
While Khaleda Zia played a key role in expanding ties with India, her successor Sheikh Hasina has been seen as maintaining closer relations with New Delhi. Khaleda’s approach, however, balanced India’s interests with ties to China and Pakistan. Though her party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), often used anti-India rhetoric, she positioned it as a guardian of national interests. India had also extended support and wished her recovery when she became critically ill last year, the report also said.
Bangladesh is now navigating significant political instability following the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024, which has further strained ties with India. Khaleda Zia’s son and current BNP Chairman, Tarique Rahman, has returned to the country and is seen as a frontrunner in the upcoming election. He has filed nominations for Dhaka-17 and Bogra-6 constituencies and is campaigning on a platform of national unity and a “Bangladesh First” foreign policy.
In his regional policy, Tarique proposed the slogan: “Not Dilli (Delhi), not Pindi (Rawalpindi), Bangladesh before everything,” signaling an approach of equidistance from regional powers, the report concluded.