Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman on Wednesday said Bangladesh would never again become a “client state,” stressing that the government’s foreign policy is guided by the principle of putting “Bangladesh First” and safeguarding the country’s national interests.

“Our government’s foremost foreign policy principle from the very beginning has been ‘Bangladesh First’. We will never return to the stage of being a client state—never. This is a great responsibility for us,” he said.

The foreign minister made the remarks while addressing a program marking July Mass Uprising Day at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka. The event was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Referring to the objectives of the July movement, Dr Khalilur said its achievements had placed a significant responsibility on those serving the country.

Echoing Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s remarks earlier in the day, he urged members of the Bangladesh Foreign Service to remain committed to ensuring that Bangladesh never returns to a position of dependency.

“We are on the frontline in carrying forward the objectives of July. None of you should ever forget this responsibility,” he said.

Recalling his decision to join the government, Dr Khalilur said that before formally assuming office, he visited those injured during the July uprising.

“When Professor Yunus asked me to join his government, I did not meet him on the day I accepted. Instead, I went to the hospital to see the injured. Afterwards, I told him, ‘Sir, we must never forget that we are here because we walked over the blood of those people,'” he said.

The foreign minister also shared a recent conversation with Türkiye’s foreign minister, who, he said, observed that Bangladesh had once been losing its prominence on the international stage but is now re-emerging.

“When we hear such comments, we realize the significance of what the prime minister said today at the inauguration of the July Memorial Museum—that one of the central goals of the July movement is to ensure Bangladesh is never seen as a client state. The remarks by Türkiye’s foreign minister echoed that same message,” he said.

Paying tribute to those who participated in the July uprising, Dr Khalilur said they had wrested the country from “a terrible monster” through immense courage and sacrifice.

“They handed the country over to us. It is now our responsibility to protect it with compassion, dedication, hard work, knowledge and wisdom, and to take it forward,” he said.

He urged members of the Bangladesh Foreign Service to remember that the martyrs of the July uprising had entrusted them with a profound national responsibility and that they must uphold that responsibility in carrying forward the country’s interests.