Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan will lead the Bangladesh delegation at the D-8 Summit instead of Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, beginning May 11 in Bali, Indonesia.

The reason behind cancelling the prime minister's trip to attend the three-day summit could not be known.

The prime minister had confirmed to attend the summit in March when Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono sent his special envoy with formal invitation. Besides, the Indonesian president had also requested the Bangladesh premier personally to attend the summit, official sources said.

The prime minister, however, is going to Kuwait on a two-day official visit on Sunday.

Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey are the eight developing nations that comprise the D-8.

Commerce secretary and some high officials will accompany the foreign minister at the summit to discuss the framework of an agreement on trade, a senior official told The Daily Star yesterday. The trade agreement is likely to be signed at the summit after discussion.

The summit will be preceded by the meeting of senior officials of the member countries, which will discuss trade preferences and import duty concessions for D-8 members.

Official sources said the meeting will not discuss products, but will try to develop a framework and guidelines on how to lower tariffs.

The D-8, established in Istanbul on June 15, 1997, aims to develop the economies of the member countries as well as to create new trade opportunities, promote participation in decision-making at international fora and provide better life standard.