Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman on Thursday urged participants at the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) to support efforts to create conditions in Myanmar conducive to the safe and sustainable repatriation of more than 1.3 million Rohingyas to Rakhine State.

"The Rohingyas are not stateless people by circumstance – they are stateless by design. It is a political failure demanding a political solution," he said while addressing the 33rd ASEAN Regional Forum Ministerial Meeting in Manila, the Philippines.

Referring to his upcoming presidency of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Khalilur stressed that global challenges must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.

Adviser to the Prime Minister Humaiun Kobir also attended the meeting.

Bangladesh has been hosting more than 1.3 million Rohingyas for nearly a decade, placing significant social, economic, environmental and security burdens on the country.

A senior official said Bangladesh continues to urge the international community and key regional actors to intensify diplomatic efforts to facilitate the Rohingyas' early repatriation to Myanmar.

Khalilur also called on all states to exercise maximum restraint in addressing maritime disputes.

On climate change, he said Bangladesh remains committed to strengthening regional cooperation on disaster preparedness and early warning systems.

Highlighting both the opportunities and risks posed by artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, he proposed exploring a regional technology governance framework that reflects the region's geopolitical and developmental realities.

On the sidelines of the forum, Khalilur 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 wide range of bilateral and multilateral issues, including trade and investment, tourism, humanitarian assistance and reciprocal support in multilateral forums.

The ministers congratulated Khalilur on his election as president of the 81st UN General Assembly and pledged their cooperation during his tenure.

Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also met Khalilur on the sidelines of the ARF meeting.

"Foreign Minister of Bangladesh Khalilur and Minister of External Affairs of India Dr S Jaishankar greeted each other in Manila on the margin of the ASEAN Regional Forum Foreign Ministers' Meeting," a Foreign Ministry official said.

During his meeting with Khalilur, Singapore's Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said the two countries share a longstanding friendship built on mutual respect, shared interests and strong people-to-people ties.

"We discussed how we can deepen bilateral cooperation and work together in ASEAN to create new opportunities for growth and development in Bangladesh and across the wider Indian Ocean region," Balakrishnan said.

Khalilur also met Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath. The two discussed expanding bilateral trade and investment, enhancing regional cooperation and reaffirming their commitment to multilateralism, peace, stability and prosperity.

On Wednesday, Khalilur held separate bilateral meetings with his counterparts from the United States, Russia, China and Pakistan, discussing economic cooperation, trade, investment and other issues of mutual interest.

Khalilur is leading the Bangladesh delegation to the 33rd ASEAN Regional Forum Foreign Ministers' Meeting and events marking the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.