Khaleda Zia JALPAIGURI: Grief over former Bangladesh PM Khaleda Zia’s death on Tuesday travelled well beyond Dhaka, reaching Jalpaiguri, a north Bengal town nearly 434 km away, where memories of her early life still lingered. For the people here, it was a loss of one of their own.Khaleda Zia was born in Jalpaiguri in 1946 and spent her early life in the town, attending two primary schools before her family eventually moved to what was then East Pakistan, now Bangladesh.”Zia’s father, Mohammad Iskandar, used to work as an agent at my father’s tea trading firm, Das & Co. Khaleda Zia was born at their Nayabasti house in the town. Even after Partition, her family continued to reside in Jalpaiguri, and family moved to erstwhile East Pakistan only in the 1950s,” recounted Jalpaiguri resident and businessman Nilanjan Dasgupta.Bangladesh’s first woman PM to embattled mass leaderAccording to Jalpaiguri-based historian Umesh Sharma, Zia’s early education began in the town. “Zia was sent to Jogmaya Primary School in Nayabasti, where she studied up to Class III, and was then admitted to Sunitibala Sadar Girls’ School in Samaj Para,” he said. “By then most of their relatives moved to East Pakistan, and Zia’s father migrated there,” Sharma added.Sharma said the family’s departure followed a formal exchange of property. “Iskandar went for a property exchange with one Amarendranath Chakraborty and moved to East Pakistan. Chakraborty’s family still lives in the house at Nayabasti,” he said.Those who remember her family recall the emotional ties that endured long after her departure. “Siyon Mandal, who became a teacher at Sishu Niketan Prathamik Bidyalaya, was her best friend during primary school days. I remember how Siyondi was elated when Zia came to office in Bangladesh. The news of her demise has left people who knew her sorry,” said Dasgupta, a former proprietor of now-defunct Das & Co.Neighbours, too, spoke of a bond that survived borders and decades. “Zia’s niece came only a couple of months ago to see Zia’s birthplace. We talked about how good it would have been if the country was never partitioned. Her loss is mourned by people in Bangladesh as well as here,” said Suhrid Mandal, Zia’s Jalpaiguri neighbour.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosJaishankar To Attend Khaleda Zia’s Funeral In Dhaka Amid Strained India-Bangladesh TiesDRDO Successfully Tests Pinaka Long-Range Guided Rocket In Odisha, To Be Inducted In Indian Army’UPSC Is Complete Waste Of Time’: PM’s Economic Advisor Sanjeev Sanyal On AI Era EducationHindu Guard Killed By Colleague In Bangladesh, Third Death In Days Raises Minority Safety Fears’Deeply Concerned’: PM Modi Reacts To Reports Of Attack On Putin’s House, Ukraine Responds“No Racial Angle”: SSP Rules Out Alleged Slurs in Angel Chakma KillingCongress’ Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury Flags Attacks on Migrant Workers to PM Modi’Will Rid Bengal Of Infiltrators’: Amit Shah Slams Mamata Banerjee’s 14-Year Rule, Sounds Poll BugleFrom Defence To Civil Skies: HAL’s Dhruv-NG Helicopter Takes Flight In India’s Aviation PushJapanese Tourist Harassed in Varanasi on Christmas, Netizens Slam ‘Mob Culture’123PhotostoriesTracing the arc from ‘Sanam Teri Kasam’ through ‘Taish’ to ‘Dange’, Harshvardhan Rane’s growing stature5 iconic New Year markets in the USA that keep the holiday magic alive for long!3 reasons to consume Papaya smoothie and the right way to make it as per AIIMS doctor10 types of Pasta dishes from around the world6 best indoor exercises for people who are planning to build muscle strength‘Dhurandhar’: Saumya Tandon aka Ulfat Hasin Baloch says, ‘Aditya Dhar was always on my wish list’ – Exclusive7 weekly routines common among people who live to 100Healthiest fruits of 2025: These 5 fruits are richest in key nutrientsWhich Hindu Idol You Should Bring Home On January 1, 2026From Osho to Swami Vivekananda – Real names of spiritual leaders123Hot PicksIndigo flight DisruptionsPAN-Aadhaar link statusKhaleda ZiaGold rate todayIncome Tax RefundBahrain Golden Visa 2025Bank Holidays DecemberTop TrendingErika KirkTravis KelceJoel EmbiidAlex Rodriguez and Jaclyn Cordeiro Net WorthStefon DiggsMagic Johnson vs Shaquille O Neal Net WorthPhiladelphia 76ers vs Memphis GrizzliesPopeyes Streaming BundlesJake Paul and Jutta Leerdam Net WorthSidney Crosby Lifestyle
JALPAIGURI: Grief over former Bangladesh PM Khaleda Zia’s death on Tuesday travelled well beyond Dhaka, reaching Jalpaiguri, a north Bengal town nearly 434 km away, where memories of her early life still lingered. For the people here, it was a loss of one of their own.Khaleda Zia was born in Jalpaiguri in 1946 and spent her early life in the town, attending two primary schools before her family eventually moved to what was then East Pakistan, now Bangladesh.“Zia’s father, Mohammad Iskandar, used to work as an agent at my father’s tea trading firm, Das & Co. Khaleda Zia was born at their Nayabasti house in the town. Even after Partition, her family continued to reside in Jalpaiguri, and family moved to erstwhile East Pakistan only in the 1950s,” recounted Jalpaiguri resident and businessman Nilanjan Dasgupta.
Bangladesh’s first woman PM to embattled mass leader
According to Jalpaiguri-based historian Umesh Sharma, Zia’s early education began in the town. “Zia was sent to Jogmaya Primary School in Nayabasti, where she studied up to Class III, and was then admitted to Sunitibala Sadar Girls’ School in Samaj Para,” he said. “By then most of their relatives moved to East Pakistan, and Zia’s father migrated there,” Sharma added.Sharma said the family’s departure followed a formal exchange of property. “Iskandar went for a property exchange with one Amarendranath Chakraborty and moved to East Pakistan. Chakraborty’s family still lives in the house at Nayabasti,” he said.Those who remember her family recall the emotional ties that endured long after her departure. “Siyon Mandal, who became a teacher at Sishu Niketan Prathamik Bidyalaya, was her best friend during primary school days. I remember how Siyondi was elated when Zia came to office in Bangladesh. The news of her demise has left people who knew her sorry,” said Dasgupta, a former proprietor of now-defunct Das & Co.Neighbours, too, spoke of a bond that survived borders and decades. “Zia’s niece came only a couple of months ago to see Zia’s birthplace. We talked about how good it would have been if the country was never partitioned. Her loss is mourned by people in Bangladesh as well as here,” said Suhrid Mandal, Zia’s Jalpaiguri neighbour.
