Bangladesh could seek informal membership in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to boost trade and regional harmony, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus said Wednesday in New York.
He noted ASEAN has provisions for such arrangements but acknowledged obstacles, particularly Myanmar’s stance on the Rohingya crisis. “It is not easy to get everybody’s ‘yes’ right away,” Yunus said.
Despite tensions, he expressed hope that relations with Myanmar could improve and that refugees could eventually return home. “Having this kind of conflict doesn’t help anybody,” he said.
Yunus added that resolving the Rohingya issue is vital for Bangladesh’s stability and broader regional cooperation.