Leaders of the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council met BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman on Saturday night and expressed condolences over the death of former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia.

The meeting was held at the BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office, said BNP Media Cell member Sayrul Kabir Khan.

Before the meeting, he said, the leaders of the Puja Udjapan Parishad signed the condolence book opened at office, expressing their sympathy and respect for the late BNP chairperson.

Those present, among others, during the meeting included Puja Udjapan Parishad President Basudeb Dhar, General Secretary Santosh Sharma, Acting General Secretary of the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council Manindra Kumar Nath, Presidium Member Kajal Debnath, Advocate Subrata Chowdhury, Dhakeshwari National Temple Managing Committee President Chitra Ranjan Majumdar, General Secretary DN Chatterjee, and Metropolitan Sarbojanin Puja Udjapan Committee General Secretary Tapas Chandra Paul.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and BNP Chairperson’s Advisory Council member Bijon Kanti Sarkar were also present at the meeting.

Later, speaking to reporters, Advocate Subrata Chowdhury said they visited the BNP Chairperson’s office to pay tribute to Begum Khaleda Zia, whom he described as a leader of democracy in Bangladesh.

“We signed the condolence book and later met BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman to convey our sympathy and solidarity,” he said.

Later in the night, Daily Amar Desh Editor Mahmudur Rahman also visited the BNP Chairperson’s office, signed the condolence book and met Tarique.

During the meeting, the Amar Desh editor shared his memories of Begum Khaleda Zia.

Amar Desh Executive Editor Syed Abdal Ahmed, Managing Editor Jahed Chowdhury, Chief Reporter Bashir Jamal, Managing Director of Bangladesh Journalists Welfare Trust M Abdullah, and journalist Abdul Momin were present.

Earlier, a delegation of the Association of Television Channel Owners (ATCO), led by its President Anjan Chowdhury, visited the same and signed the condolence book.

The delegation later met BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

Begum Khaleda Zia passed away on December 30 while undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka. Since then, leaders of various political, social, religious and professional organisations have been visiting the BNP office to express condolences and pay tribute to the late leader.