Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman on Tuesday told Parliament that the proposed budget for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was prepared with the highest priority given to safeguarding Bangladesh’s sovereignty, promoting economic growth and protecting the national interests of its people.
He made the remarks while responding to proposals by several opposition lawmakers to reduce the ministry’s budget for the 2026–27 fiscal year to Tk1.
Members of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami representing Satkhira-4, Rangpur-1, Chattogram-16 and Chuadanga-1 constituencies spoke during the discussion and proposed the budget cut.
Explaining the rationale behind the proposed allocation, the foreign minister said reducing the ministry’s budget to Tk1 would force Bangladesh to shut down its diplomatic missions around the world. He said the country’s red-and-green flag, a symbol of its independence and sovereignty, would have to be taken down from those missions, while all services provided to expatriate Bangladeshis would cease.
Khalilur also warned that Bangladesh would be unable to pay its annual membership dues to the United Nations, which could result in the suspension of its membership.
He said the country’s development and security largely depend on active, forward-looking diplomacy in an increasingly complex and rapidly changing geopolitical environment.
He added that “Bangladesh First” remains the guiding principle of the country’s foreign policy. As an example, he cited Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s recent visits to Malaysia and China, describing them as evidence of Bangladesh’s proactive diplomatic engagement.
