People of Jalpaiguri, India, are crying for Khaleda Zia

The grief over the death of three-time former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia has spread beyond the borders of Bangladesh to Jalpaiguri, West Bengal, India. The people of this city, about 434 kilometers away from Dhaka, are also shedding tears for the daughter of their homeland.

Begum Khaleda Zia was born in Jalpaiguri, India. At the time of her birth in 1945, Jalpaiguri was part of undivided India. Later, her family moved to the then East Pakistan.

Indian media outlet Times of India said in a report published on Wednesday (December 31), that memories of Khaleda Zia's childhood are still vivid in Jalpaiguri. Her death has also caused personal loss and deep pain to many people there.

The report said that Khaleda Zia began her primary education in Jalpaiguri. After studying till class three at Jogmaya Primary School in Nayabasti area, she was admitted to Sunitibala Sadar Girls High School in Samaj Para. However, as the family members migrated to East Pakistan one by one, her father also migrated there later.

Nilanjan Dasgupta, a businessman from Jalpaiguri, told The Times of India that Khaleda Zia's father Mohammad Iskander was associated with his father's tea business 'Das & Co'. He said that the house in Nayabasti where Khaleda Zia was born still exists there.

Umesh Sharma, a historian based in Jalpaiguri, said that memories of Khaleda Zia's childhood and educational life are part of the history of the city. He said that before going to Bangladesh, Khaleda Zia's father sold the property in the area and moved with his family.

Nilanjan Dasgupta, expressing the feelings of Sion Mondal, a friend of Khaleda Zia's primary school, said that Sion Mondal was very happy when Khaleda Zia became the Prime Minister of Bangladesh for the first time. Everyone who knew her is saddened by her death.

Meanwhile, another local, Shuhrid Mandal, said that Khaleda Zia's family often visited her birthplace in Jalpaiguri. He said, "We often discussed that if the country had not been divided, we would have met her closer. Even though we did not see her directly, she was our own person."

Arup De, the headmaster of the primary branch of the Sunitibala School where Khaleda Zia studied, said that the school is planning to organize a memorial service to mourn the death of its former student, Khaleda Zia.