Plans to have a Trans-Asian Highway linking five Asian countries and set up an airline service connecting their capitals is expected to dominate the agenda of the BIMSTEC min-sterial meet beginning in Dhaka this week, according to diplomatic sources.

The first policy-level meet in Dhaka to be participated by

ministers and officials from India. Sri Lanka. Myanmar. Thailand and host Bangladesh would be held from December 17 to 19. The ministerial meet on December 19 will be preceded by a two-day officials' meet.

The Dhaka meet is likely to -give BIMSTEC. the new regional grouping comprising the five countries along the rim of the

Bav of Bengal, a durable shape. It was launched in Bangkok on June 6 last year.

The BIMSTEC meet which was due to be held in September this year had to be postponed due to the floods.

Die meet will be participated by the deputv foreign ministers of Diailand. Sri Lanka. Myanmar and the state ministers of India and Bangladesh. All the sessions would be held at the Sonargaon Hotel. A 10-day BIMSTEC Bazaar featuring various products including traditional items from the member countries would be held at Baridhara on the sidelines of the conference.

The ministerial meet will include two working sessions and be rounded off with a dinner by Foreign Minister Abdus Samad Azad. A press conference will be held later on the concluding day.

The three-day international fora is expected to give increased attention to attracting international cargo traffic to Chittagong Port for bolstering regional trade, providing transhipment arrangements and catering as a major shipping hub for refuelling and warehousing.

Plans for construction a large container terminal by a foreign company in Chittagong is likely to receive adequate fo-

cus from the neighbouring countries looking for more favourable harbour facilities. A detailed study would be commissioned shortly for enhancing the infra-structural facilities at the Chittagong Port, sources said.

The new regional grouping is expected to get a more concrete and durable shape at the Dhaka meet, said State Minister for Foreign Affairs Abul Hasan Chowdhury while talking to The Daily Star.

He will preside over the working sessions of the 3-day conference.

The Dhaka meet is also likely to identify the thrust sectors of the organisation. Plans are on the anvil to find ways and means of focusing on expanding trade. Investment, tourism, exchange of scientific and meteorigical data.

Talking to The Daily Star. Abul Hasan said that ESCAP has been authorised by BIMSTEC to unduct a study for construction of the highway. Stretches of the highway already exist and it is a matter of linking up and providing facilitation services.

Discussions are also expected to take place to draw up a possible list of tariff concessions and create free trade zones in the BM1STEC countries.

The original grouping comprising four littoral countries of the Bay of Bengal --Bangladesh. India. Sri Lanka and Thailand- was launched with the name of BISTEC.

Later at a ministerial level meeting last December in Bangkok, the four founding members agreed to admit Myanmar, renaming it BIMSTEC.