The assurance came when Director General of UNESCO Asia-Pacific Cultural Centre Sato Kunio called on State Minister for Cultural Affairs Begum Selima Rahman at her office yesterday.

Recalling the UNESCO's role in declaring 21st February as International Mother Language Day, the state minister sought cooperation of the UN in the development work of the ministry.

Sato Kunio thanked the government for giving Ekushey award to the UNESCO.

Secretary of the ministry Modabbir Hossain Chowdhury and other high officials of the ministry attended the meeting, said an official release.

Meanwhile, Sato visited Community Learning Centres (CLCs) run by Dhaka Ahsania Mission (DAM) at Mohammadpur yesterday.

He talked with the students and guardians and expressed his deep satisfaction on the programmes of the CLCs, saying that DAM has been playing a pioneer role in assisting ACCU in most of its regional programmes and specially in the setting up of a network of Literacy Resource Centres in 17 countries of the Asia Pacific region.

He held talks with Kazi Rafiqul Alam, DAM Executive Director and other senior officials.

M Ehsanur Rahman, Deputy Executive Director and concerned officials accompanied him during his visit. He also visited Bangladesh Literacy Resource Centre (BLRC) at Dhanmondi.

Sato arrived in Bangladesh on September 2 on his way to Bangkok to see for himself the special features of DAM and CLCs.

He exchanged views with senior officials of the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Cultural Affairs and Bangladesh National Commission.