Bangladesh has reiterated its interest in joining the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as a sectoral dialogue partner, with Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus seeking support from Malaysia during a meeting with a key political figure in Dhaka on Sunday.
The request came during talks at the State Guest House Jamuna with Nurul Izzah Anwar, vice president of Malaysia’s People’s Justice Party and daughter of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
“We want to become a part of ASEAN, and we will be needing your support,” said Dr Yunus, referencing Bangladesh’s formal application submitted in 2020.
Malaysia currently holds the ASEAN chairmanship, and the chief adviser expressed hope that the country would help push forward Bangladesh’s application. He described sectoral dialogue partnership as an important first step toward full membership in the regional bloc.
Nurul Izzah Anwar opened the meeting by expressing sympathy over the recent fighter jet crash in Dhaka. Dr. Yunus called it a “sad event” and noted the heavy toll it had taken.
He made a point during the meeting to single out Nurul Izzah and congratulate her on a big achievement: becoming vice president of her political party. With that said, the discussion then moved closer to home for Dr. Yunus. He began to discuss the political tides turning in Bangladesh and the new government’s efforts to enact serious reform.
“We are going through a reform process,” he said. “Our students took bullets in their chests to overthrow the fascist Hasina regime. It began as a youth-led movement, but people from all walks of life joined in.”
He described the recent movement as one marked by strong civic participation. “Students painted the walls and streets with the spirit of the July uprising,” he added.
They also discussed trade and the regional economy. Dr. Yunus pointed to Bangladesh’s young population and invited Malaysian companies to tap into its growing market.
“Asia is ageing rapidly, but Bangladesh has a large youth population. Half of our people are under the age of 27,” he said. “Set up your industries here and export from Bangladesh. It will benefit both our economies.”
Chief Adviser’s Special Envoy for International Affairs Lutfey Siddiqi and Senior Secretary and SDG Coordinator Lamiya Morshed also attended the meeting. No immediate public response from Malaysian officials was reported following the discussion.
