Dhaka: Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali on Monday said Bangladesh wants to intensify political, economic and cultural connectivity with Asean as a dialogue partner saying that there exists a commonality of security interests between Bangladesh and Asean member countries.

‘Institutionalisation of this relationship won’t only make a bridge between the two historical regions, but will also foster investment, trade flow and cultural exchanges,’ he told a function in Dhaka.

The Asean Dhaka Committee organised the Asean Flag Raising Ceremony at Indonesian Embassy. The ceremony commemorates the 49^th Anniversary of the establishment of Asean on 8 August, 1967.
Mahmood Ali said Bangladesh’s growing economy and geographical location makes it a natural candidate for partnership with Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations).

‘Bangladesh shares a common agenda for peace, security and economic prosperity with the Asean countries,’ he mentioned.

The Foreign Minister said Bangladesh has a deep commitment to ensuring regional peace and stability that matches perfectly with the goals and objectives of Asean.

The Asean Dhaka Committee (ADC) was officially established on 12 September, 2013 upon the approval of the Asean Secretariat. The ADC aims to strengthen ties between Asean and Bangladesh.

Indonesian Ambassador Iwan Wiranata-Atmadja, Malaysian High Commissioner Nur Ashikin Mohd Taib, Myanmar Ambassador Myo Myint Than, Philippines’ Ambassador Vicente Vivencio T Bandillo, Thai Ambassador Panpimon Suwannapongse, Vietnam’s Ambassador Nguyen Quang Thuc, Brunei Darussalam’s acting High Commissioner Siti Relawati Mohammad Idris, Singapore’s Consul Darryl Lau, and diplomats from Asean member countries were present.

The ADC chairperson reiterated the recognition of Bangladesh as a close friend that Asean can and will continue to constructively engage with in many dimensions, as well as the recognition of the ever-increasing people-to-people contact.

The ADC members expressed deep condolences to the victims of the Gulshan and Sholakia tragedies in Bangladesh, and observed a one-minute silence in remembrance of the lost lives.

Asean covers about 9 per cent of the world’s population.

The Association represents the collective will of the nations to bind themselves together in friendship and cooperation.

‘No doubt Asean is the most successful regional grouping in the developing world,’ Mahmood Ali said.

With Asean’s eastward expansion to include Myanmar, Bangladesh and Asean are no longer just maritime neighbors, but also share land, river and maritime boundary, he added.

‘In fact, Bangladesh is the last frontier of the South Asian region interfacing with the Asean region beginning with Myanmar,’ said the Foreign Minister.

He said it has been a major foreign policy aspiration of the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to intensify Bangladesh’s political, economic and cultural connectivity with the ASEAN countries.

‘As a key member of Saarc and Bimstec, Bangladesh’s greater engagement with Asean neighbours would provide a valuable hub to improve regional connectivity and help build trade between South and South East Asia,’ he added.