Australian MP Mark Coure and Liberal Senator Dave Sharma have expressed heartfelt condolences to the Bangladeshi community following the death of Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh’s first female prime minister and a towering figure in the country’s political history.
Mark Coure is a member of Parliament and Shadow Minister for Roads, Multiculturalism, and South Western Sydney and Dave Sharma is the liberal senator for New South Wales and Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities & Treasury
In a condolence letter on Thursday, Mark Coure acknowledged Khaleda Zia’s legacy as a trailblazer who led Bangladesh through pivotal moments in its democratic journey.
He wrote, “Begum Khaleda Zia was a defining figure in Bangladesh’s history and public life. As the nation’s first female Prime Minister, she broke barriers at a time when few women held leadership roles at the highest levels of government. She led during some of the most challenging and formative periods in Bangladesh’s democratic journey.”
“Her strength, resilience and determination earned her a place as one of the most influential leaders the country has known,” he wrote.
Mark Coure praised her commitment to public service and her role in shaping Bangladesh’s political and social progress. He also said that her passing is being mourned not only in Bangladesh but also among Bangladeshi Australians, whose contributions enrich Australia’s civic and cultural life.
“At times of loss such as this, it is important that communities know their grief is recognised, respected and shared,” the letter stated, underscoring the enduring ties between Australia and Bangladesh built on shared values and mutual respect.
BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia’s legacy, Mark Coure said, will be remembered across generations as part of the shared history between the two nations.
Australian Senator Dave Sharma has also condoled the passing of Khaleda Zia, describing her as a “central figure” in the country’s political and economic development.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Sharma, a Liberal Senator for New South Wales and Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities & Treasury, said he joined the Bangladeshi community “in mourning the passing of former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia.”
Highlighting Khaleda Zia’s role in Bangladesh’s modern political landscape, Sharma noted that she served as the country’s first female prime minister and led the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) as its chairperson for more than four decades.
“Begum Khaleda Zia played a pivotal role in Bangladesh’s political and economic development in the decades since independence and was a central figure in Bangladesh’s public life,” the statement read.
Sharma described her legacy as “profound and significant,” noting that her influence would be remembered both at home and abroad. “Her loss will be felt deeply by many whose lives she touched, including within the Bangladeshi community in Australia,” he said.
The Senator extended his condolences to the people of Bangladesh and the Bangladeshi diaspora, expressing “sincere and profound sympathy” over the death of the former premier.
