S Jaishankar meets Khaleda Zia’s son Tarique Rahman, hands him PM Modi's condolence letter

The meeting took place during Jaishankar’s four-hour visit to Bangladesh, his first since the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus assumed power, a period marked by strained India-Bangladesh relations.

New Delhi has repeatedly raised concerns over attacks on minorities, particularly Hindus, in the neighbouring country.

Zia, a three-time prime minister and founder of the BNP, died on Tuesday after a prolonged illness.

Tarique Rahman, her eldest son, is the acting chairman of the BNP and is widely seen as a frontrunner for the prime minister’s post in the elections scheduled for February 12.

During the interaction, Jaishankar acknowledged Zia’s contribution to Bangladesh’s democratic journey and conveyed India’s hope for closer bilateral ties after the upcoming polls, according to sources.

On the sidelines of the funeral, Jaishankar also had a brief exchange of greetings with Pakistan’s National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, the first such interaction since Operation Sindoor.

Government sources cautioned against reading any political significance into the meeting, describing it as a courtesy exchange among dignitaries present at the event.

The interaction took place in a common room where senior ministers and representatives from neighbouring countries had gathered.

Jaishankar was also seen exchanging pleasantries with other leaders, including Nepal’s newly appointed foreign minister, Balananda Sharma.

A photograph of Jaishankar greeting Sadiq was later shared by Yunus, with a caption noting the exchange ahead of Zia’s funeral. Officials stressed that the meeting was informal and unplanned.

India is closely watching Dhaka’s evolving foreign policy posture, particularly Bangladesh’s growing engagement with Pakistan and its long-standing ally China under the Yunus-led interim administration, developments that could reshape regional dynamics in South Asia.