The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, sent cables of condolence and sympathy to His Excellency President Mohammad Shahabuddin, President of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, on the death of Her Excellency Khaleda Zia, former Prime Minister, who passed away after a long and distinguished career in politics.
Messages of support from the leadership and condolences to the Bangladeshi people
In his telegram, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques expressed his deep sorrow and grief at the news of the death of the deceased, saying: “We have learned of the death of Her Excellency Khaleda Zia, the former Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh - may God have mercy on her - and as we send to Your Excellency and to the family of the deceased our deepest condolences and sincere sympathy, we ask God Almighty to envelop her in His vast mercy and forgiveness, and to grant her a spacious place in Paradise, and to protect you from all harm. Indeed, we belong to God, and to Him we shall return.”.
For his part, His Highness the Crown Prince sent a similar cable, in which he expressed his deepest condolences and sincere sympathy to the Bangladeshi President and the family of the deceased, asking God Almighty to have mercy on her and grant her a place in His spacious Paradise.
Khaleda Zia: A prominent political figure in the history of Bangladesh
Khaleda Zia is a pivotal figure in the modern political history of Bangladesh. She served two terms as Prime Minister (1991–1996 and 2001–2006), becoming the first woman to hold this office in her country's history and the second in the Muslim world after Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan. She assumed leadership of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) following the assassination of her husband, President Ziaur Rahman, in the early 1980s and played a crucial role in restoring parliamentary democracy in the country during the 1990s.
Her reign was characterized by a focus on economic and educational reforms, particularly girls' education, which made her an influential political figure for decades, despite the major political challenges she faced during her career.
The depth of Saudi-Bangladeshi relations
The Saudi leadership's condolences come within the framework of the deep-rooted and historic relations that bind the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the People's Republic of Bangladesh. These relations are characterized by bonds of Islamic brotherhood and joint cooperation in various political and economic fields. The Kingdom is always keen to stand by Bangladesh in times of both prosperity and adversity, as reflected in this high-level diplomatic communication.
The Kingdom is home to a large Bangladeshi community that contributes to development, which strengthens popular ties between the two countries, in addition to ongoing cooperation in international organizations such as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, where the two countries share visions on many regional and international issues.
