The assurance came when British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Anwar Choudhury called on Industries Minister Matiur Rahman Nizami at his office yesterday.

During the meeting, they discussed issues of bilateral interest, particularly various aspects of mutual co-operation in the industrial sector.

Existing problems in Bangladesh's industrial sector and recent initiatives taken by the government for the development of small and medium industries also came up for discussion at the meeting.

The minister told the British envoy that the present government is implementing massive reform programmes, including privatisation, for making the state-owned industrial enterprises profit-making units.

"The government continues to help the private sector entrepreneurs set up industries instead of going for establishing industries in the public sector," Nizami said.

He said the government is going to announce a new industrial policy for the development of small and medium industries, and sought all out assistance of the UK for successful implementation of the privatisation programme, which would create alternative jobs for the country's huge population.

Referring to the existing friendly relations between Britain and Bangladesh, the high commissioner said his country wants to see Bangladesh as a happy and prosperous country, both socially and economically.

There is ample scope for setting up of labour-intensive industries in Bangladesh, Anwar said adding that Bangladesh could utilise its unemployed people by setting up industries in IT, electronics goods assembling, jute and leather, ready-made garment and automobile sectors.

He stressed the need for taking up an industry-friendly strategy at the state level to make industrialisation successful.

The industries minister expressed the hope that the existing bilateral relations between Britain and Bangladesh would be strengthened further in the years to come.