08 August 2022, Dhaka -  As part of the commemoration of the 55th founding anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN on 08 August 2022, the Philippine Embassy in Bangladesh participated in the reception and ASEAN food festival organized by the diplomatic missions of ASEAN member states in Dhaka, through the ASEAN Dhaka Committee (ADC), which were held earlier today at the premises of the Indonesian Embassy in Dhaka.

The ASEAN member states in Bangladesh were represented by H.E. Mr. Haji Haris Othman, High Commissioner of Brunei Darussalam; H.E. Heru Hartano Subolo, Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia; H.E. Haznah Md Hashim, High Commissioner of Malaysia; H.E. Mr. Aung Kyaw Moe, Ambassador of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; H.E. Makawadee Sumitmor, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand; H.E. Mr. Pham Viet Chien, Ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; Ms. Sheela Pillai, Head of Mission of the Singapore Consulate, Dhaka, and, Ms. Christian Hope V. Reyes, Chargé d'Affaires, a.i. of the Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines.

Myanmar Ambassador Aung Kyaw Moe, during his speech as the current chair of the ADC,highlighted the achievement of ASEAN for the past 55 years since it was founded and mentioned the unity among the ASEAN member states as a major contribution to the continued peace and stability in the region.

Honorable Foreign Minister of Bangladesh,  Dr. A.K. Abdul Momen, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest by a message delivered through a pre-recorded video. Bangladesh Foreign Ministry's Director General for Southeast Asia Wing, Md. Najmul Huda, also delivered a short message to commemorate the ASEAN Day and the relations between Bangladesh and the ASEAN member countries.

The reception, which was also graced by the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Bangladesh, H.E. Archbishop George Kocherry, Japanese Ambassador in Bangladesh, H.E. Mr. Ito Naoki, Secretary General of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), H.E. Tenzin Lekphell, is the first on-site event organized by ASEAB Dhaka Committee (ADC) since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was well attended by the diplomatic corps of the ASEAN member countries, members of the ASEAN Community in Bangladesh, officials from Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and members of DIplomatic Correspondent Association of Bangladesh (DCAB), among others.