New Delhi [India], December 31 (ANI): Former Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty said that ever since the chaos gripped Bangladesh, minorities have been targeted.

Chakravarty said that this time some people are taking undue advantage of the situation.

He said, 'Ever since this interim government came to power 17 months ago, there has been a lot of lawlessness and chaos in Bangladesh. Hindus and other minorities have been targeted. There is always some kind of harassment of Hindus from going on from time to time. It's all related to the legacy of the partition. But this time it seems some people are taking advantage, and unfortunately, the government there is unable to stop it. Either it looks the other way, and there are people there who are taking advantage of that and attacking Hindus for a variety of reasons. We have seen different attacks and different reasons. It's very difficult and very sad to see this happening in Bangladesh...'

Begum Khaleda Zia died on Tuesday morning at the age of 80, while she was undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka.

'Khaleda Zia passed away at around 6:00 am, just after Fajr prayer,' the BNP statement read.

'We pray for the eternal peace of her soul and ask everyone to pray for her departed soul,' it added.

Zia was admitted to the capital Dhaka's Evercare Hospital on November 23 with a lung infection. The former Prime Minister has been suffering from various physical ailments, including heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, liver cirrhosis, and kidney complications, for a long time, and earlier this month, she was sent to London for advanced medical treatment for her ailments.

Following the demise of former Bangladesh Prime Minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia on Tuesday morning, party leaders expressed their deep sorrow, calling it a 'great setback' for the party and a 'massive loss' for the nation. (ANI)