Prime Minister Khaleda Zia is expected to inaugurate the conference at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre.

Apart from SAARC member countries, Afghanistan and Myanmar will also join the conference, said LGRD Minister Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan at a press conference yesterday.

He said the government has taken up an ambitious programme to provide sanitation facilities for all by 2010.

To raise awareness about proper sanitation system, the government has also decided to declare October 2003 as the month of sanitation.

"A nationwide survey is being carried out to assess the existing situation," he added. Government officials, donor agencies, NGOs and local representatives have extended their support to make the programme a success, he said.

"We are, however, yet to estimate the total cost of the programme. We think that 60 to 70 per cent people have the ability to install sanitary latrines on their own initiatives," the minister said.

Stressing the need for awareness campaign, he said around 57 per cent of people still use open latrines.

The nationwide survey is aimed at finding out the reasons for not installing the sanitary latrines, the minister said. The survey that began in June will be completed by the second week of this month.

Bhuiayn said the government would provide assistance in the form of financial and technical support to the people for installing sanitary latrines.

The community sanitation system will be introduced in the areas where enough land would not be available for the purpose, he added.

The government has also decided to replace around 15,000 open latrines in Dhaka with modern latrines.

A total of 4,533 such latrines have already been set up by various NGOs, the minister said.

In addition, 100 modern public toilets would also be set up in the areas under Dhaka City Corporation.

State minister for LGRD Ziaul Huque Zia and LGRD secretary AYBI Siddiqi were also present at the press conference.