"I believe that BIMST-EC should aim at equitable growth of our economies. Our strategies should be supportive of the growing sectors, particularly those facing the challenges of globalisation," she said in her speech at the first-ever summit of the sub-regional grouping in Bangkok.

Leaders of Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and host Thailand also attended the opening ceremony, held at the impressive Vithes Samosorn Hall of Thai foreign ministry, calling for tapping the growing economic potential of Asia.

In their speeches, the leaders agreed on closer cooperation among the South and Southeast Asian nations in moving toward long-term economic goals as the best weapon to counter the perils of globalisation.

Khaleda asked for a meaningful cooperation in transportation and communication linkages, tourism, energy, marine resources, human resource development and people-to-people contacts.

She said: "Our efforts should remain focussed on specific areas of cooperation and on projects with well-defined targets."

The projects she proposed include pharmaceuticals and drugs, textiles, leather, jute, small and cottage industries, agriculture, healthcare, and information technology and tourism.

Referring to the conclusion of the free-trade negotiations among the BIMST-EC countries, the prime minister said such deals should be conducted keeping in mind the interest of least developed countries and should be within the framework of global trade regimes.

Khaleda said development of transportation and communication linkages would help enhance flow of trade, tourism, investment and people-to-people contacts.

On energy development programmes, she said energy security, as underlined in the recently held ACD meeting, is a "major concern not only for us but also for the whole of Asia".

The prime minister also drew the attention of BIMST-EC leaders to sustainable use of marine resources of the Bay of Bengal.

About tourism, she said "Visit BIMST-EC Year 2004" has provided fresh impetus to greater cooperation in the tourism sector. Bangladesh hosted the Seventh BIMST-EC Tourism Expert Group Meeting in Dhaka in May this year.

"Efforts should be made for developing a comprehensive strategy for promotion of tourism within our region through greater co-ordination among national tourist organisations and national airlines," she told the summit leaders.

In her 10-page speech, the prime minister also mentioned terrorism and transnational crimes and sought collective attention to combat the scourge effectively.

She said Bangladesh had consistently taken a firm and unequivocal stand against all forms of terrorism and transnational crimes.

"I believe our nations should co-ordinate their efforts in joining the global fight against terrorism. We must, at the same time, sincerely address the root causes of terrorism in banishing the scourge totally," Khaleda said.

Indian Prime Minister. Manmohan Singh, Myanmar Prime Minister Gen. Khin Nyunt, Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga also spoke at the opening ceremony.

Top leaders of the newly included member countries Bhutan and Nepal were present.

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra urged the BIMST-EC leaders to build their economies to become more than a "small blip" on the radar screens of the rest of the world.

He said they have to tap the growing economic potential of Asia after a stuttering start for the BIMSTEC group of nations, which has little to show since its inception in 1997.

\"We meet today because, as leaders, we can see the turning of the economic tide for the Asian century and we must benefit from it,\" Thaksin told the meet.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the group is a key part of its "Look East" trading policy, but it has to tackle other key issues such as terrorism, religious extremism, gunrunning and drug smuggling.

"The scourge of terrorism is unfortunately one with which we all must grapple as a global phenomenon and as an everyday reality. The areas of conflict are coming closer to us," he said.

Singh announced a slew of measures such as a ministerial conference on energy, sharing experience in remote sensing and roundtable on tourism to strengthen cooperation among the BIMST-EC countries.

He proposed to host a ministerial conference on energy cooperation and set up a

BIMST-EC centre on weather and climate in New Delhi which would help in sharing India's expertise in remote sensing for agriculture, environment and disaster management.

Singh said India would host a roundtable and workshop of tourism ministers, with the participation of tour operators, hotel representatives and others associated with the tourism industry, to enhance tourism within BIMST-EC region in the next five years.

"We are also happy to announce 150 scholarships for next year under the information technology programme for BIMST-EC countries, in addition to 150 scholarships offered by India at the ministerial meeting in Phuket in February this year," he told the meet.

Myanmar Prime Minister General Khin Nyunt also called for closer economic cooperation among the seven nations.

He said tourism could help alleviate poverty by creating job opportunities and higher income in rural areas.