The risk is high as the region has the largest number of expatriates in the country and is surrounded by vulnerable areas in India, accounted for about one fourth of the world's AIDS patients. Tea garden labourers and indigenous Monipuri and Khasia tribesmen in Sylhet have good links with their relations in India. They may be easily infected and the disease may spread in Bangladesh, the experts said.

According to sources at Moulvibazar Civil Surgeon's office, four AIDS patients have been detected the district so far. They were infected during blood transmission at hospitals while they were working in the Middle Eastern. Two of them including a woman are from Moulvibazar Sadar upazila and three from Kamalganj upazila. The women was infected by her husband who worked in the Middle East.

The sources named of the four persons but those have not been published.

Unofficial estimates however put the figure much higher. APPIC, a Dhaka-based NGO, held a workshop at Kamalganj recently, where it was disclosed that the number of AIDS patients in Sylhet region is over 200. The figure was complied from records of suspected AIDS patients who visited doctors between 1991 and 2005. Most of these suspected AIDS patients worked in the Middle East. But different NGOs say the number has already exceeded 500, according to sources.

Thirteen people died from AIDS in greater Sylhet region so far, it was disclosed at the workshop.

It was attended by Imams of mosques, politicians, local public representatives and journalists.

Speakers there said the disease is spreading fast due to lack of awareness and superstitions among people and inappropriate government programmes to combat the disease. If precautionary steps are not taken immediately, the member of patients may at double within a short time, they said.

Most of the AIDS patients are in Sylhet Sadar, Fenchuganj, Beanibazar and Kanaighat upazilas of Sylhet district and Baralekha, Kamalganj and Kulaura upazilas of Moulvibazar.

Different NGOs including USS, SEDA, APPIC, PIACT, HEED, Ashar-Alo Society and SSKS are providing treatment and other support to AIDS infected people in Sylhet region. But their service are not adequate.

According to local doctors and NGOs, the disease is spreading in the region through people who are returning home from Middle Eastern countries.

According to them, at least 10 lakh people of four districts in Sylhet division live abroad. Besides, businessmen of the region are regularly visiting India cities like Mumbai, Madras, Assam, Tripura and Monipur where AIDS is alarming. Indian truck drivers entering Bangladesh might be carrying HID/AIDS virus.

Talking to this correspondent, Moulvibazar Civil Surgeon Dr Afaz Uddin said it is difficult to estimate the actual the number HIV infected people because they normally feel shy to test blood for the virus. Health officials are working and giving technical and other support to different NGOs in this regard, he said.