Bangladesh's Foreign Minister, Dr. Khalilur Rahman, has called for a sustainable solution to the Rohingya crisis and greater regional cooperation. He made the appeal while addressing the 33rd ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Ministerial Meeting held in Manila, the Philippines.

Speaking at the meeting on Thursday (July 23), the Foreign Minister urged ASEAN member states to take coordinated and effective measures to help create conditions conducive to the safe, voluntary, and dignified repatriation of more than 1.3 million Rohingya refugees to their homeland in Myanmar's Rakhine State.

In his remarks, Dr. Rahman stressed that the Rohingya are not stateless by circumstance but have been deliberately rendered stateless. "This is a political failure, and its solution must also be political," he said.

Referring to his upcoming role as President of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Dr. Rahman emphasized that dialogue and diplomacy remain the only effective means of addressing today's global challenges. He also called on all countries to exercise the utmost restraint in resolving maritime disputes.

Highlighting Bangladesh's commitment to addressing climate change, the Foreign Minister said the country remains dedicated to strengthening regional cooperation in disaster preparedness and early warning systems. He also discussed the opportunities and risks associated with artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies, proposing the development of a regional technology governance framework aligned with the region's geopolitical and developmental realities.

On the sidelines of the forum, Dr. Rahman held bilateral meetings with the foreign ministers of Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Australia, as well as the Vice-President of the European Commission. The discussions covered a range of bilateral and multilateral issues, including trade, investment, tourism, humanitarian assistance, and cooperation in international forums.

During the meetings, the participating dignitaries congratulated Dr. Khalilur Rahman on his election as President of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly and assured him of their full support during his tenure.