Khaleda Zia Street: Hamtramck City in US Renames Road After Former Bangladesh PM

New York, January 8: The city of Hamtramck has officially renamed a local street in honor of the late former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. The dedication ceremony took place on Wednesday, January 7, attended by city officials and members of the local Bangladeshi-American community. This move makes Hamtramck, known for being the first Muslim-majority city in the United States, one of the first Western municipalities to formally recognise the two-time prime minister through its local infrastructure.

The decision to rename the thoroughfare follows a resolution passed by the Hamtramck City Council to honor Zia’s political legacy and her connection to the city’s significant Bangladeshi diaspora. A portion of Caniff Street, a major artery in the city, has been co-named "Begum Khaleda Zia Way." Local leaders noted that the gesture is intended to celebrate the cultural heritage of the community and acknowledge the historical role Zia played in South Asian politics. Who Was Khaleda Zia? A Look at the Legacy of Bangladesh’s First Female PM.

US City Renames Road After Khaleda Zia

Hamtramck has a long history of cultural representation, with a population where nearly half of the residents claim South Asian or Arab ancestry. The city council, which is entirely Muslim, has previously renamed other streets to reflect the diverse origins of its inhabitants.

Supporters of the move highlighted Zia’s role as the first female Prime Minister of Bangladesh. They said that the street name serves as a point of pride for immigrants who have settled in the Midwest but maintain strong ties to their home country’s history. Khaleda Zia Dies: Former Bangladesh PM Passes Away at 80 After Battling Multiple Ailments Including Heart Disease.

The unveiling of the new street sign was marked by a gathering of supporters of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the organisation Zia led for decades. Speakers at the event emphasised that the renaming symbolises the democratic aspirations and the struggles faced by the former leader during her political career.

While the event was largely celebratory, it also drew attention to the polarized nature of Bangladeshi politics abroad. Representatives from the city clarified that the renaming was a local initiative focused on community recognition rather than a statement on international geopolitical affairs.

About Khaleda Zia...

Khaleda Zia served as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh from 1991 to 1996 and again from 2001 to 2006. As the widow of former President Ziaur Rahman, she became a central figure in the country’s transition to parliamentary democracy in the early 1990s.

In recent years, Zia’s health and legal status have remained a major point of contention in Bangladesh. Following her death, her legacy has continued to be a focal point for the BNP and the Bangladeshi diaspora worldwide. The street renaming in Michigan is seen as a significant effort by the diaspora to preserve her memory in the international public sphere.

Hamtramck’s policy allows for the "co-naming" of streets, which adds an honorary title to an existing road without changing its primary legal address. This allows the city to honor various cultural icons while ensuring that emergency services and postal deliveries remain unaffected.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 08, 2026 11:54 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).