The BNP-led government’s ‘Bangladesh First’ foreign policy marks a shift from the deposed Awami League government’s subservient foreign policy towards people-centric diplomacy that prioritises national interests, sovereign decision-making and balanced international partnerships.
“The major difference is that we are looking at the interests of our own people before looking at the interests of another country’s people or government,” State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam told BSS in a recent exclusive interview.
“That is the fundamental difference. We are putting our people first and our national interest first,” she added.
Shama said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s diplomatic approach draws on the principles pursued by Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman, whose foreign policy, she said, placed Bangladesh and its people at the centre of international engagement.
She said the government was seeking to strengthen Bangladesh’s independent diplomatic position while maintaining constructive relations with countries across competing geopolitical blocs.
“Bangladesh First does not mean Bangladesh alone,” she said, stressing that the doctrine promotes friendship and cooperation without compromising national interests.
The state minister said Bangladesh wanted productive relations with India, China, the United States, the United Kingdom, European countries, Muslim-majority nations, OIC members and ASEAN countries.
“We want to keep good relations with all stakeholders, our development partners and our trade partners,” she said.
Describing the policy as “pragmatic and practical”, Shama said Bangladesh’s strategic location around the Bay of Bengal created opportunities for expanding economic partnerships.
“We need Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), we need manufacturing hubs, we need a technology boom,” she said.
Shama said the government is prioritising investment, industrialisation, technology and employment generation through economic diplomacy.
Asked how Bangladesh would navigate competing geopolitical initiatives, Shama said every partnership would be assessed according to its benefits for the country.
“We will join any multilateral forum when it brings something beneficial to Bangladesh. It is very simple,” she said.
Referring to the Indo-Pacific and multilateral groupings such as BRICS, SAARC and BIMSTEC, she said engagement with different platforms need not be contradictory. “I do not see any conflict,” she said.
‘Friends, not masters’
Former Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Anwarullah Chowdhury described the policy as a welcome departure from what he called the previous Awami League government’s subservient approach to foreign relations.
Chowdhury, who served as Bangladesh’s ambassador to Bahrain from 2003 to 2006, said the earlier government had placed excessive emphasis on maintaining favourable relations with India, sometimes at the expense of Bangladesh’s national interests.
“Although the principle was friendship to all and malice towards none, in practice the previous government pursued a subservient foreign policy,” he told BSS.
He alleged that the Awami League government had made extensive concessions to India, including transit arrangements, without adequately safeguarding Bangladesh’s interests.
In contrast, Chowdhury said, the BNP government’s Bangladesh First doctrine offered a more balanced approach based on sovereignty, equality and reciprocal benefits.
“Bangladesh First means that Bangladesh’s national interests must come before everything else,” he said.
He said Bangladesh should maintain friendly relations with India, China, the United States and other countries without accepting a subordinate position.
“Our principle should be friends, not masters,” he said, adding that “No matter how large or powerful another country may be, it can be our friend, but it cannot be our master.”
Chowdhury said the government appeared to be moving in the right direction by emphasising partnerships on an equal footing.
He cited Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s diplomatic engagements with China and Malaysia as examples of the government’s approach towards mutually beneficial relations.
“I believe Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and our Ministry of Foreign Affairs are moving in that direction. We welcome this approach,” he said.
The former ambassador, however, advised Bangladesh against joining military alliances amid growing geopolitical polarisation.
“I believe Bangladesh should avoid entering into military alliances. However, when it comes to economic agreements and partnerships, we can certainly participate in them,” he said.
He stressed expanding economic diplomacy, diversifying exports and exploring new international markets.
Recalling his diplomatic experience, Chowdhury said Bangladeshi vegetables and fish were in considerable demand overseas, highlighting opportunities beyond traditional export sectors.
“We need to expand our economic diplomacy,” he said.
Domestic strength key to diplomatic success
Former Foreign Secretary Ambassador M Humayun Kabir said the effectiveness of Bangladesh First would ultimately depend on the country’s internal strength, institutional capabilities and diplomatic negotiating power.
Kabir, President of the Bangladesh Enterprise Institute (BEI), said implementing an independent foreign policy required political and social cohesion, effective governance and stronger economic foundations.
“We have very limited control over the outside world. What we do have control over is our internal strength,” he said.
The former diplomat identified three essential requirements: consolidation of national power, objective assessment of Bangladesh’s needs and diplomatic skills to manage competing interests among major powers.
He said Bangladesh must clearly determine what it expects from individual countries rather than allowing political emotions to influence diplomatic decisions.
“There is no room for emotions or sentimentality in such an assessment. Our foreign relationships must be guided by our needs,” he said.
SAARC revival gains priority
Meanwhile, Shama said reviving the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) remains an important component of the government’s regional diplomacy.
“We are talking to all SAARC countries about how we can revive it, what policy we can take and what roadmap we can adopt,” she said.
The state minister said a roadmap for SAARC’s revival had already been prepared and presented to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
She said Bangladesh wants both SAARC and BIMSTEC to contribute to regional connectivity, trade, investment and economic development.
“Both can coexist,” she said.
Shama reiterated that the government’s diplomatic decisions would be guided by Bangladesh’s interests rather than pressure to align exclusively with any particular country or geopolitical bloc.
