US city names street after Khaleda Zia

A key street in Hamtramck of Michigan, has been renamed in honour of late BNP chairperson and former prime minister Khaleda Zia, marking a rare international recognition of a Bangladeshi political leader.

Hamtramck’s Carpenter Street will now be known as Khaleda Zia Street, following approval by the city council, according to the BNP media cell. The renamed section lies between Joseph Campau Avenue and Conant Street, in the heart of the city.

The decision was facilitated by the city council, which currently includes four councillors of Bangladeshi origin. Their initiative played a significant role in securing approval for the renaming proposal.

In a statement, the BNP media cell said expatriate Bangladeshis view the move as a symbolic recognition of Bangladesh’s political history, leadership and democratic struggle. “This is not merely a change of a street name, but an international acknowledgment of Khaleda Zia’s political legacy,” the statement noted.

The media cell also recalled that a street in Chicago had earlier been named after BNP founder and former president Ziaur Rahman, describing such initiatives as important in raising awareness among younger generations of the Bangladeshi diaspora about the country’s political history.

Hamtramck, known for its multicultural and diverse population, is seen by community members as an example of growing social and cultural ties between Bangladesh and the United States.

Khaleda Zia passed away on December 30 last year while undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka.