He said emphasis will be given for the improvement of primary education, water and sanitation and environmental issues.

The UK minister was talking to newsmen after a brief meeting with Sylhet City Corporation Mayor Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran at his office.

Timms was on a daylong visit to Sylhet.

Accompanied by British High Commissioner Anwar Choudhury, he flew to Sylhet Osmani International Airport by a helicopter in the morning.

The mayor welcomed them and took them to city corporation office.

Replying to a question, Timms told The Daily Star that presently the British government provides aid worth about 125 million pounds annually.

"We hope it will be increased in a big way. It may even go up to 200 million pounds," he added.

The minister said the UK has a longstanding relation with Bangladesh.

"We need to strengthen it further in every possible way," he added.

He also hoped that bilateral relations will be further deepened through this visit.

"I am very pleased to be in Sylhet which has a special link with the UK. Although it is my second visit to this city, it has given me a big scope for getting better knowledge about the region and its people," Timms said.

"I have come here to see how we can develop the relation in near future," he added.

During his meeting with the mayor, the British minister enquired about the water supply situation in the city in addition to the state of primary schools and their management.

He also enquired about the situation in health sector especially the state of existing healthcare facilities for the poor.

Besides, he wanted to know about the law and order situation of the district.

The mayor briefed the UK minister on water supply, primary education and waste management situation in the city and sought assistance for resolving them.

Timms said, "We will think about establishing twinning link

between schools in Sylhet and those in the UK."

Besides, programmes for safe motherhood and children can also be taken in addition to improvement of environmental issues and waste management, he added.

The chief treasury secretary also assured of taking measures for the improvement of the medicare and schooling of the poor in Sylhet.

When asked about the trial for grenade attack on him in Sylhet in 2004, Anwar Choudhury said, "We are satisfied with the development. I hope the trial would be completed in five to six months."

Later, the British chief treasury secretary talked to the divisional commissioner and deputy inspector general of police at their offices respectively.

Before leaving Sylhet, he also stayed for some time at the Liaison Office of the British High Commission in the city.