The accession of Bangladesh to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) refers to an ongoing attempt by the Bangladeshi government to gain membership status within ASEAN. Whilst formal expressions of interest emerged in the early 2020s, the origins of Bangladesh's aspirations date back to the 1970s. Its rejection led to the eventual establishment of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) in 1985, which closely drew structural inspiration from ASEAN's model.
While the country has long maintained bilateral relations with ASEAN member states and participated in the ASEAN Regional Forum since 2006, it began actively pursuing closer institutional ties, initially seeking Sectoral Dialogue Partner (SDP) status, and eventually signaling intent for full membership. This aspiration gained renewed momentum following a change in government in 2024, when the caretaker administration under Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus elevated ASEAN accession as a top foreign policy priority. Bangladesh has since secured expressions of support for ASEAN membership from three of the 11 ASEAN member states: Laos, Indonesia, and Malaysia, though ASEAN has not yet set a formal timeline or pathway for accession. As of 2025, Bangladesh continues to lobby for SDP status as a strategic entry point into the bloc, while positioning itself for eventual full membership in the future. Since then, Bangladesh has garnered support from Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Timor-Leste, the Philippines, Singapore, and Cambodia for SDP status.
On July 2026, ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn declared that it is not possible for Bangladesh to join ASEAN due to its geographic location outside of southeast Asia, unless the alliance amends its charter which is unlikely.
Accession requirements
The ASEAN Charter defines the following criteria for membership: The state must be geographically located in Southeast Asia. The state must be recognized by all ASEAN member states. The state must agree to be bound by the ASEAN Charter The state must be able and willing to carry out the obligations of membership, such as: Maintaining embassies in all current member countries of the bloc Attending all ministerial meetings and summits Acceding to all treaties, declarations, and agreements in the blocPreparations for the Membership of ASEAN Retrieved 14 May 2011
Bangladesh membership issues Since the beginning of Bangladesh's overtures toward ASEAN accession, a complex array of obstacles has shaped the trajectory of its bid. Although Bangladesh has expressed sustained interest, its efforts have been met with both cautious encouragement and institutional inertia. One of the earliest and persistent challenges has been ASEAN's geographic and historical self-definition. Bangladesh, as a South Asian country, lies outside the traditional scope of Southeast Asia, prompting doubts over whether its inclusion would stretch ASEAN's regional identity beyond its original parameters. This geographic scope has not been fully enforced. Myanmar, Vietnam, and Indonesia themselves are transcontinental countries that span both Southeast Asia and East Asia in the cases of Vietnam and Myanmar or between Southeast Asia and Oceania in the case of Indonesia. The observer state Papua New Guinea is culturally and geographically located entirely within Oceania. Eastern Bangladesh and Northeast India have strong cultural ties with Mainland Southeast Asia and are considered transregional areas between South Asia and Southeast Asia (see also: Eastern South Asia and Southeast Asian relations with Northeast India). Observers argue that regional definitions can drift and change over time.
One of the structural impediments to Bangladesh's potential accession to ASEAN lies in the organization's consensus-based decision-making model, which requires unanimous agreement among all member states for major initiatives, including enlargement. This mechanism allows individual member states to block or delay progress, particularly where national interests diverge. A notable complication is the presence of Myanmar, whose ongoing tensions with Bangladesh over the unresolved Rohingya refugee crisis present a significant diplomatic obstacle. Myanmar may oppose Bangladesh's entry directly or adopt delaying tactics. More broadly, ASEAN's preference for non-confrontational, humanitarian responses over political interventions has limited its willingness to address contentious bilateral issues, potentially stalling the accession process through institutional inertia. Secretary of the Regional Organisational Wing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, M. Forhadul Islam, believed that the accession process could also be influenced by neighbouring India, stemming from its growing relationship with ASEAN.
Domestically, Bangladesh faces the challenge of proving its readiness to contribute effectively to the ASEAN community. While the country has recorded robust economic growth and development in recent years, questions persist regarding the preparedness of its emerging industries to compete within ASEAN's integrated market framework. Observers have expressed concerns that premature exposure to ASEAN's free trade mechanisms could leave Bangladesh vulnerable to asymmetric competition, particularly from more developed economies such as Vietnam, Malaysia, and Singapore. This has prompted debate over whether Bangladesh's economic base is sufficiently diversified and resilient to reap the benefits of deeper regional integration. Analysts argued that joining ASEAN, including at the level of a dialogue partner, would require some forms of institutional reforms, trade liberalization, and a set-in-stone regional diplomatic posture that Dhaka has not historically prioritized.
Chronology of relations with ASEAN
TimelineDateEvent28 July 2005Bangladesh joins the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) as its 26th member. Inaugurated in a meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.1 August 2007Bangladesh accedes to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia. Signed in Manila by Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury.2 April 2014Establishment of the "Dhaka Committee" among ASEAN embassy missions.8 October 2020Bangladesh formally applies to become an ASEAN Sectoral Dialogue Partner.
Foreign relations with ASEAN member states
Indonesia (25 February 1972) Philippines (24 February 1972) Myanmar (21 March 1972) Malaysia (11 September 1972) Singapore (10 September 1972) Thailand (5 October 1972) Vietnam (11 February 1973) Brunei (5 May 1984) Laos (1988) Cambodia (17 February 1993) Timor-Leste (7 June 2002)
History Early history In the late 1970s, Bangladesh's President Ziaur Rahman explored the possibility of joining the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as a means to broaden the country's alliances. Following his rise to power via a 1975 coup d'état, Ziaur Rahman sought ASEAN membership in an effort to legitimize his new administration on the international stage. Bangladesh formally applied to join ASEAN, but this request was turned down by the existing Southeast Asian members. ASEAN's refusal stemmed from the grounds of maintaining organizational cohesion, particularly due to concerns over Bangladesh's governance structure at the time, not long after the coup d'état. ASEAN also held wariness toward expanding westward.
Having been rebuffed by ASEAN, Bangladesh turned its focus to building its own regional bloc. In May 1980, Ziaur Rahman formally proposed the creation of a South Asian cooperative forum, drawing inspiration from ASEAN's success. He consulted leaders of India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and others on forming an "ASEAN-like" organization for South Asia. This initiative led to the founding of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) in 1985, with Bangladesh as a co-founder. Zia would be honoured by the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation for his statesmanship and vision. Throughout the 1980s, Bangladesh remained outside ASEAN and instead prioritized SAARC for regional collaboration. During this period there were no further Bangladeshi attempts to join ASEAN, as the country concentrated on the new South Asian forum and strengthening bilateral ties with Southeast Asian nations separately.
ASEAN Partnership
While full membership in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) remained unattained, Bangladesh progressively deepened its engagement with ASEAN-affiliated frameworks during the 1990s and 2000s. A significant milestone was its role as a founding member of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) in 1997 as a linkage between South and Southeast Asian countries, signalling its interest in closer integration with the ASEAN neighbourhood.
During this period, Bangladesh's regional posture was shaped by frustrations over the limited progress of economic cooperation within the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and the perceived dominance of India, which surrounds Bangladesh and maintains a persistent trade surplus with it. In response, the Bangladeshi government initiated a "Look East" policy in 2002, aiming to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties with Southeast and East Asian countries. This strategic pivot reflected a desire to diversify partnerships and integrate more fully with the dynamic economies of the broader Asia-Pacific region. At the 12th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) on 28 July 2005, a major step came when Bangladesh was admitted to the ARF, ASEAN's security dialogue platform, as its 26th participating country, allowing Bangladesh to regularly consult with ASEAN states on political and security issues, even if it was not an ASEAN member.
The following year, Bangladesh acceded to ASEAN's foundational Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) on 1 August 2007, signed at an ASEAN-ARF meeting in Manila. Foreign Affairs Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury called this a "red-letter day in the history of Bangladesh's foreign policy."
In 2011, Laos announced that it would support Bangladesh in obtaining ASEAN observer status, the first ASEAN member to do so. This assurance was made during a credentials ceremony at Bangabhaban, where newly appointed Lao Ambassador Thongphanh Syackhaphom presented his credentials to President Zillur Rahman. Laos has historically supported Bangladesh's aspiration to deepen its engagement with ASEAN and has maintained cooperative relations at various international forums, going as far as supporting Bangladesh's early inclusion in ASEM.
In early 2014, Bangladesh stepped up institutional ties with ASEAN. In May 2014, Bangladesh's ambassador to Indonesia, Md. Nazmul Quaunine, was accredited as the country's first ambassador to ASEAN. He presented credentials to ASEAN's Secretary-General on 6 May 2014. That month the Dhaka Tribune editorialized that Bangladesh should "speed up efforts for Bangladesh to join ASEAN," noting the mutual economic benefits of membership. As a prelude to become an ASEAN Dialogue Partner, the "Dhaka Committee" was created as a coordinated platform among the eight ASEAN diplomatic missions in Dhaka, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, to enhance ASEAN's engagement and visibility in Bangladesh and serves primarily to organize the promotion of Southeast Asian studies, cultural events like ASEAN Day celebrations, and frequently, humanitarian initiatives such as joint flood-relief efforts.
In August 2017, the Bangladesh government publicly declared its interest in becoming a "Sectoral Dialogue Partner" of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), with the State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Md Shahriar Alam, formally stating the bid during the 50-year celebration of ASEAN's founding in Dhaka.