The ADB will hear the views of government and other stakeholders, including project beneficiaries on the country's development agenda and the role that the development partners, especially ADB, could play in assisting the government to pursue this agenda, an ADB press release said.

The first regional consultation workshop will be held at Barisal on September 22 in which over 60 representatives from civil society/nongovernment organisations (NGOs) women's groups, business groups, researchers, journalists, poor communities, and local government agencies are expected to participate.

The remaining three regional consultation workshops will be held in Sylhet, Rajshahi, and Chittagong.

Consultations with government agencies are planned from late October to mid November 2003 to coincide with ADB's annual Country Program Confirmation Mission.

More consultations with major NGOs, the private sector, development partners, and academics are expected to be held in Dhaka in the coming months.

The CSP will support implementation of the government's recently completed National Strategy for Economic Growth, Poverty Reduction, and Social Development, the press release added.

The CSP will be placed at the meeting of the Board of Directors of ADB for consideration.