Bangladesh wants Malaysia’s help to join Asean, but it faces an uphill battle
The path to joining the bloc is long and complex, requiring sustained political will and a resolution to the ongoing Rohingya crisis
On Sunday, he revived his country’s call for Malaysia’s backing to secure a place among the ten-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
As current Asean chair, Malaysia is positioned to play a key role in advancing Bangladesh’s application to become a sectoral dialogue partner – a preliminary step towards eventual full membership.
Dhaka first applied for this status in 2020, which is extended to countries engaging with at least two of Asean’s sectors, such as trade, economics, and science and technology.
The road ahead is steep, however. Bangladesh faces “significant” challenges to joining, according to Doris Liew, an economist specialising in Southeast Asian development. Full membership or even observer status, she warned, would require “sustained political will, extensive negotiations and overcoming administrative hurdles”, with the current momentum driven primarily by Yunus himself.