, Sept. 1 -- Discussants at a roundtable have underscored that while ASEAN membership may not be immediately feasible, the sectoral dialogue partnership offers Bangladesh a 'realistic and impactful pathway' for engagement.

The panelists and participants agreed that the future of Bangladesh-ASEAN relations must be guided by mutual trust, practical cooperation and people-centered initiatives.

Moderating the discussion, Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS) President Major General (retd) ANM Muniruzzaman observed that Bangladesh should prioritise cooperation with ASEAN in areas such as climate resilience, disaster preparedness, and AI governance-emerging issues that will define the future of regional cooperation.

The ...