Bangladesh-ASEAN: Convergence of aspirations for peace and prosperity

Why does ASEAN matter to Bangladesh? Opening his discussion with this question at a roundtable on the issue, Charge d’Affaires of the Singapore High Commission in Dhaka, Mitchel Lee elaborated, "ASEAN is a large and growing consumer base with a rapidly growing middle class. It's the fastest growing region globally, a huge trade and investment hub.

It has ties with the major powers of the world. ASEAN plays a constructive role in regional peace and security." These factors underlined the importance of forging stronger Bangladesh-ASEAN ties.

Mitchel Lee was speaking at high-level roundtable on 'Bangladesh–ASEAN Relations: Towards a New Partnership' organised yesterday, Sunday by the Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS) at The Westin Dhaka.

The other speakers included Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, former foreign affairs advisor to the government of Bangladesh and distinguished fellow, BIPSS, and Shafqat Munir, senior research fellow, BIPSS and head of BCTR. The discussion was moderated by Major General ANM Muniruzzaman, president of BIPSS.

Charge d' Affairs Mitchel Lee emphasised how ASEAN was committed to remain united amidst difficult external environment.

He highlighted ASEAN’s growing role as a hub of economic integration, connectivity and regional stability, noting that strengthened ASEAN-plus-1 FTAs, the ASEAN Digital Economic Framework and the ASEAN Power Grid initiative, provide platforms for Bangladesh to secure economic and strategic gains.

By leveraging these opportunities, Bangladesh can enhance market access, attract investment, and strengthen its regional linkages without full ASEAN membership.

An expert of foreign affiars, Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury cautioned that ASEAN membership for Bangladesh may remain elusive in the near future due to economic disparities and political complexities.

He acknowledged two fundamental constraints to full membership: geography and identity. ASEAN remains, by definition, a Southeast Asian grouping with its own socio-cultural and geographic coherence, and Bangladesh falls outside these parameters.

He provided a conceptual framework on the evolving international system and stressed the importance of external linkages like ASEAN for Bangladesh’s strategic future.

These include strengthening its Sectoral Dialogue Partnership, pursuing bilateral free trade agreements with key ASEAN members, and undertaking robust domestic reforms to enhance competitiveness.

Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury concluded that Bangladesh’s external engagement with ASEAN should be understood not only as an economic imperative but also as a strategic necessity dictated by the realities of the evolving global order.

Senior research fellow at BIPSS, Shafqat Munir pointed out how ASEAN had managed to create a regional identity with the ability to mediate even on contentious issues.

Focusing on strategic and security cooperation, he highlighted areas of counterterrorism, organised crime, maritime security, cyber defence, humanitarian assistance and peacekeeping cooperation as key avenues for deeper collaboration.

He stressed that Bangladesh’s geographic position as a bridge between South and Southeast Asia makes it a natural partner for ASEAN in ensuring regional stability and connectivity.

The discussion also emphasised that Bangladesh, as a member of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) since 2006, has an important role to play in advancing regional security cooperation.

The ARF, which serves as the region’s key platform for political and security dialogue, focuses on maritime security, counter-terrorism, cyber resilience, non-proliferation, and disaster relief.

Deeper engagement with ARF would allow Bangladesh to share its experience in border security, preventive diplomacy, and disaster management, and project itself as a constructive and stabilizing actor in regional politics. He also proposed that the newly elected government should initiate “Look-East 2.0” strategy to enhance defence cooperation with ASEAN militaries.

Shafqat Munir stressed the value of closer cooperation with the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance (AHA Centre).

Strengthening collaboration with the AHA Centre could allow Bangladesh to harmonize early-warning systems, enhance cyclone preparedness, coordinate disaster relief logistics, and align humanitarian standards in refugee management, including repatriation readiness for the Rohingya.

Such collaboration would not only improve regional humanitarian responses but also reinforce ASEAN’s role as a trusted partner in addressing shared human security challenges.

As moderator of the roundtable, Maj Gen ANM Muniruzzaman said that the Bangladesh–ASEAN relationship is rooted in shared cultural heritage, geographical proximity and a convergence of aspirations for peace, prosperity and stability.

He noted that as Bangladesh prepares to graduate from LDC status, forging closer ties with ASEAN is not just desirable but a strategic necessity for the country’s future trajectory.

He highlighted that the partnership between Bangladesh and ASEAN must be recalibrated in the context of today’s shifting global economic currents, climate challenges, and evolving security dynamics, and should be forged around four core pillars: economic collaboration, enhanced connectivity, energy and climate resilience, and strategic cooperation.

He observed that Bangladesh should prioritise cooperation with ASEAN in areas such as climate resilience, disaster preparedness, and AI governance, emerging issues that will define the future of regional cooperation.

The session ended with a lively and interaction session with participants including diplomats of ASEAN and other countries, academics, youth representatives, members of the media and civil society.