Cultural Affairs Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki has expressed hope that Bangladesh's friendly relations with ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries will deepen further in the coming days.

“The roots of our relationship with ASEAN countries run deep—built on shared history, heritage, culture, and religious values. There has been longstanding people-to-people contact and bonding among our nations,” he said while speaking at an event marking ASEAN Day at the Royal Thai Embassy in Dhaka on Thursday morning.

Highlighting the potential for cooperation, he said ASEAN presents golden opportunities in tourism, investment, trade, and employment.

“We must capture these opportunities with the right initiatives,” the adviser added.

The event was also addressed by Brunei’s High Commissioner to Dhaka Haris bin Othman, and Malaysian High Commissioner Shuhada Othman.

ASEAN was established on August 8, 1967 to promote economic growth, social progress, cultural development, and regional peace and stability among Southeast Asian countries.