Bangladesh’s ASEAN membership bid faces geographical hurdle

Bangladesh’s efforts to join the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) face a major obstacle as the bloc’s secretary-general has said the country does not currently meet the organisation’s geographical requirement.

ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn reportedly said Bangladesh and Papua New Guinea are outside the geographical region covered by the ASEAN Charter and therefore are not eligible for membership under the current rules.

He made the remarks at the 10th ASEAN Media Forum in Manila, according to Indonesia’s Jakarta Globe.

The ASEAN Charter requires prospective members to be located within Southeast Asia. Bangladesh is geographically part of South Asia, while Papua New Guinea is generally considered part of Oceania.

Kao said the charter would need to be amended before either country could potentially join ASEAN. Such a change would require the unanimous approval of all existing member states.

ASEAN currently has 11 members following Timor-Leste’s admission in 2025. The secretary-general indicated that the bloc’s expansion had effectively been completed with Timor-Leste’s inclusion.

Bangladesh has pursued closer ties with ASEAN for years and has sought support from member states for its membership aspirations. During Malaysia’s ASEAN chairmanship, Dhaka reportedly sought Kuala Lumpur’s backing.

The issue highlights the geographical limits facing Bangladesh’s long-standing ambition to become part of the Southeast Asian regional bloc.