A gesture that lasted a lifetime: Hamin Ahmed recalls a defining encounter with Khaleda Zia

In a reflective Facebook post, Hamin Ahmed, the vocalist and guitarist of Bangladesh's legendary rock band Miles, has shared a deeply personal account of Begum Khaleda Zia that spans more than two decades — from an intimate performance at the former prime minister's residence in the early 1990s to her quiet gesture of condolence following the death of his mother, revered singer Firoza Begum.

Writing with the clarity of memory and emotion, Hamin reveals an episode he says he had "never mentioned before but sharing now", taking readers back to 1993–94, when Miles was invited to perform at the prime minister's residence at 6 Shahid Mainul Road. The band, then comprising Hamin, Shafin Ahmed, Manam Ahmed and "possibly" Mahbub, approached the invitation with a mixture of excitement and nerves.

"We were excited and curious, nervous too, as the PM would be there to hear us," Hamin recalls. It was also his first encounter with Begum Khaleda Zia, an impression that left a lasting mark. He describes her as "very elegant, with personality yet greeted us so kindly and with grace", adding candidly, "Frankly we were all awe struck."

The afternoon unfolded in unexpected ways. After a lengthy soundcheck stretching into lunchtime, arrangements were made for the band to eat elsewhere. At that moment, Khaleda Zia intervened decisively. 

According to Hamin, she told those present, "No, they will have lunch in this house, whatever we have." 

What followed left the musicians stunned. 

"To our utter surprise she herself served the food on our plates," he writes, remembering the moment he looked down at his plate and wondered "whether it's real".

For Hamin, the gesture carried a meaning far beyond protocol. "There was the most graceful Prime Minister of our country but so kind and so respectful," he reflects. "She didn't have to do any of that but she did." That sense of humility, he suggests, is why "she was and will be Begum Khaleda Zia in our hearts, in people's hearts".

Later that evening, as Miles performed in the garden, Khaleda Zia watched from a netted enclosure overlooking the venue and later offered words of praise. Hamin notes that the impact of the day "remained with me and Shafin for good", shaping the respect the band and their families held for her over the years.

The post then shifts to a far more painful chapter. When Hamin's mother, Firoza Begum — a towering figure in Bangladeshi music who dedicated her life to preserving the songs of the national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam — died on 9 September 2014, Hamin recalls a stark absence of official recognition. "There was no state honoured Janaza or burial for Firoza Begum," he writes, adding that the then prime minister chose only to issue a message to the media.

Amid that silence, one visit stood out. Despite illness and physical difficulty, Khaleda Zia came to the family home in Kalindi without delay. "She was right there, she sat in the house with us and showered so much respect and love for Firoza Begum and her memories," Hamin writes. "Comforted us like she was our own!"

Calling her "an amazing, graceful and a kind hearted person", Hamin notes a poignant coincidence: that Khaleda Zia spent her final days in a house named Firoza. He closes his remembrance with a prayer — "May Allah (SWT) grant her Jannah" — framing his tribute not as a political statement, but as a deeply human remembrance of dignity, empathy and grace.