Bangladesh vows never client state

On August 5, 2026, Bangladesh's Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman, speaking at the Bangladesh — Foreign Service Academy on July Mass Uprising Day, declared that Bangladesh would 'never again' become a client state, reaffirming the 'Bangladesh First' foreign policy doctrine. He emphasized the Foreign Ministry's frontline role in safeguarding sovereignty and national interests. Rahman recounted contacting the United Nations during the July 2024 crackdown to urge action on human rights violations, and highlighted Bangladesh's successful bid for the presidency of the United Nations General Assembly as a diplomatic achievement. He also quoted Turkey's foreign minister praising Bangladesh's return to the international stage. The remarks echo Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's earlier statements at the July Memorial Museum inauguration.