The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will hold a 'Basic Drug Enforcement' training course in Bangladesh in the spring this year with the existing State Department narcotics assistance funds.

Under the Law Enforcement and Narcotics Control (LOA), the

programme will be offered through the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC), with some seats reserved for the BDR and Customs officers from the Chittagong Port. This effort should be followed by continued professional support from the regional DEA office in New Delhi.

The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement

Affairs stated this in International Narcotics Control and Strategic Report-2007 released in Washing-ton on Thursday.

It said the United States would continue to provide law enforcement and forensic training for Bangladesh government officials and work with the government to construct a comprehensive strategic plan to develop, professional-

ise and institutionalise Bangladesh's counter-narcotics efforts.

The Bangladesh and the US governments signed a Letter of Agreement (LOA) in September 2002 under which the US would provide equipment and technical assistance to the DNC and its central chemical laboratory.