By signing a declaration in Bangkok on 8 August 1967, the foreign ministers of Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Singapore established the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The association then expanded to include more member states, namely Brunei Darussalam (1984), Vietnam (1995), Lao PDR (1997), Myanmar (1997), and Cambodia (1999).
The strength and cooperation among ASEAN countries have been in global focus since its inception in 1967 at a beach resort in Bang Saen – a coastal town near Bangkok.
In the recent World Economic Forum (Jan 25, 2025) held at Davos, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Yunus- the Chief Advisor of the Interim Government of Bangladesh – was honored to be called on the stage. In his words with his gentle beaming smile in the end, “I would have hated myself sitting there and watching an ASEAN session going on here on the stage. You (said to Børge Brende) saved me, I’m here. I’m very happy to be here with everybody of ASEAN.”
Børge Brende – the current President of Global Economic Forum – invited Prof. Yunus Bangladesh with an introductory remark “Bangladesh a close friend of ASEAN” to share his vision and aspiration to be part of the association. During the panel discussion on “ASEAN even stronger together”, Prof Yunus was seated on the stage with the other ASEAN leaders including Pham Minh Chính – Prime Minister of Viet Nam, Anwar Ibrahim – Prime Minister of Malaysia, Julie Bishop – UN Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Myanmar.
Prof Yunus acknowledged how Børge Brende made it easier for him. As Børge Brende said, “I know that you know the leaders here very well … I know that you feel that deep cooperation with ASEAN is part of your blood. I haven’t seen that you (Prof Yunus) are applying for ASEAN membership, but you know ASEAN is a very inclusive organization so they have a lot of friends for ASEAN.”
His (Prof Yunus) presence and that introduction in that panel made it crystal clear that in one or another way Bangladesh should be a part of ASEAN.
On August 28, 2024, while meeting Honorable Haznah Md Hashim – Malaysian High Commissioner in Bangladesh – Prof Yunus just a couple of weeks after he became the Chief Advisor of the interim Government, expressed his interest in becoming a member of ASEAN.
During the panel at Davos, Prof Yunus sought support from the member states for Bangladesh to join ASEAN.
“I consider myself personally as a part of ASEAN” – Prof Yunus started to respond. Then he continued to say, “It goes for a long time. It’s because when I started my work, the first country that adopted our work was Malaysia – Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia.” Notably the organization based on the microcredit system similar to Grameen Bank now has more than 313,500 members.
With the tie between Prof Yunus and Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia, Prof Yunus found himself closer to Malaysia with a bond that only grew stronger and stronger. He found himself “extremely well connected to Malaysia” Hence he asked, “I don’t see why we cannot be together in ASEAN?” Prof Yunus then confirmed that PM Anwar Ibrahim assured him that Bangladesh would somehow become part of ASEAN.
Citing his involvement with Karya Usaha Mandiri – a microcredit application in Indonesia, a project similar to Grameen Bank – Prof Yunus then continued to share his close ties with the next ASEAN member country Indonesia. “Indonesia became very close to us. Working together village after village, island after island. So I cannot see myself distancing from Indonesia. We are so much part of Indonesia” – he said.
While referring to his bonds with Vietnam, Prof Yunus said, “Almost every single women leader in Vietnam came to Bangladesh to study what you’re doing and bring our program (Formula of Grameen Bank microcredit system) all over Vietnam”.
Using those close ties with the ASEAN member countries, Prof Yunus reiterated, “We are already part of ASEAN, We cannot take it away from us. You have to accommodate us into ASEAN. This is something that we have (to) work (on) together. So this is what we’re looking forward (to).”
Prof Yunus did not stop with his aspiration for Bangladesh to become a member country of ASEAN. He hinted at his foresight to make the regional tie stronger by adopting their ways to define and design the things that are needed for the development and success of the member states.
After acknowledging the strength of the association he said, “ASEAN is a wonderful group of countries that is moving forward, (taking) very confident steps, and the future looks very bright”. Yet he shared the same question that he asked his fellow citizens in Bangladesh with the ASEAN countries “What kind of future that we see for ourselves, as a region, as a country? Do we follow the same footsteps that the West has done as a success as a same developmental paradigm that we have learned.”
Prof Yunus then cautioned the audience not to take the definition and concept of issues similar to how it is defined and designed by the west.
By challenging the conventional banking system which connects the people with money he invited ASEAN member countries to build a banking system that connects the people who don’t have money. He wants the ASEAN member states to work together to make a different kind of society.
Prof Yunus wants to avoid the same mistake in the region, which would otherwise allow the concentration of wealth, which to him would be benign and a “disaster” for the future.
Prof Yunus wanted the member countries to work together in an ASEAN framework so that the member countries do not only progress but also progress differently and become an example for the rest of the world. He wants ASEAN countries not to copy things the way it happened in the past.
With his ties with the ASEAN member countries, Bangladesh under the leadership of Prof Yunus joining ASEAN will be a win-win situation. Albeit under the Malaysian Chairmanship of ASEAN, futuristic vision of Prof Yunus will make the Association even stronger together.
By,
Prof. Mohammad Tariqur Rahman
Deputy Executive Director of International Institute of Public Policy and Management, Universiti Malaya.
