Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan apprised journalists of the offer after his meeting with the visiting US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, John Gastright, at his office in the city yesterday.

Morshed Khan said the US official thanked Bangladesh for its efforts in controlling terrorism, including the capture of two kingpins of the banned militant outfit JMB.

The FM told the official that despite the capture of 600-700 militants, including the two masterminds, Bangladesh is not complacent. "We have to keep vigil to stop recurrence of terrorist activities," he said.

The minister said that he asked the US official to provide line tariff for Bangladeshi garments and medicine. The official then assured him of thinking about it "carefully".

During the meeting, the two sides also discussed the political activities in Bangladesh.

The minister said the United States expressed keen interest in becoming an observer of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) and would formally approach Bangladesh, as it is the current chair of the forum.

"Given the relations between the USA and the region," he hoped, "everybody would welcome the US as an observer."

The US deputy assistant secretary, emerging from the meeting with the foreign minister, told reporters that there is no room for complacency about terrorism in Bangladesh. "We were discussing ways to do more to curb terrorism."

"It is no secret that US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice wrote to Bangladesh appreciating its efforts to fight terrorism."