Dhaka will propose declaring the third decade of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) from 2006-2015 as the "Saarc Decade of Poverty Alleviation."

Poverty alleviation, economic integration of the region, elimination of terrorism and disaster management preparedness with early warning system will come up as the summit's prime agenda.

Besides, the summit will also focus on implementation of the Social Charter, empowering Saarc secretariat and simplification of visa regime in the region.

South Asia is the home to maximum number of poor as well as middle class people that underlines the importance of emphasising both poverty alleviation and enhanced intra-regional trade, which is less than 4 percent at present.

Officials said Dhaka would propose substantial fundraising for implementation of Saarc projects, mainly to take measures for poverty alleviation. Initiatives will be taken to streamline various proposed funds into a single fund with an initial capital of $300 million.

The proposed "South Asian Poverty Alleviation Fund" will have several, economic and other wings. Already existing South Asian Development Fund has $6 million in its coffers with the fund still unutilised.

The directors general and joint secretaries of Saarc begin a one-and-a-half-day formal meeting at Hotel Sheraton tomorrow. Official sources said the Saarc senior officials will begin an informal meeting upon arrival today to avoid killing of time during the formal meet.

Director General (Saarc, Bimstec and ACD) of Bangladesh Foreign Ministry M Ruhul Amin will chair the 26th Session of the Programming Committee to be held from tomorrow morning till November 9 afternoon.

At the Programming Committee meet, M Fazlul Karim, director general (UN, Nam, Counter-Terrorism & ARF) will lead the Bangladesh delegation, Kesang Wangdi, head of Saarc and Bimstec Division, the Bhutanese, PK Kapur, joint secretary (Saarc) the Indian, Hussain Thoufeeq Ali, assistant director of the foreign ministry, the Maldives, Hira Bahadur Thapa, joint secretary of the foreign ministry, the Nepalese, Syed Ibne Abbas, director general (SA), the Pakistani, and Ms Geetha De Silva, additional secretary (Political Affairs) will lead the Sri Lankan side.

The Programming Committee meeting will be followed by the meetings of the Standing Committee comprising the foreign secretaries of the Saarc nations on November 9-10 and of the Council of Ministers comprising the foreign ministers of the Saarc countries on November 10-11.

Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Hemayetuddin will chair the 31st Session of the Standing Committee of Saarc beginning on November 9.

Foreign Secretary of Bhutan Ms Neten Zagmo, Foreign Secretary of India Shyam Saran, Deputy Minister for Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives Ms Aminath Mohamed Didi, Acting Foreign Secretary of Nepal Nabin Bahadur Shrestha, Foreign Secretary of Pakistan Riaz Mohammed Khan and Foreign Secretary of Sri Lanka HMGS Palihakkara will attend the standing committee meet.

They will finalise the four agreements to be signed at the summit and the draft of the Dhaka Declaration.

The Council of Ministers will approve the agreements and declaration as well as venue of the next summit and place those to summit leaders for final approval.

Bangladesh Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan will chair the meeting of the Council of Ministers. Foreign Minister of Bhutan Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuk, Indian External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh, Foreign Minister of the Maldives Dr Ahmed Shaheed, Foreign Minister of Nepal Ramesh Nath Pandey, Foreign Minister of Pakistan Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri and Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka Anura P Bandaranaike will attend the meet.

Most of the Saarc leaders will arrive on November 11. Some may arrive after midnight of November 11 because of flight schedule, but all of them would depart on November 13.

Talking to diplomatic correspondents at his office yesterday, Foreign Affairs Adviser Reaz Rahman said the 13th summit would concentrate on economic and social issues including trade, investment and poverty alleviation.

Besides, management of natural disaster and dealing with terrorism will figure prominently.

Four agreements concerning avoidance of double taxation, promotion of investment, simplification of customs procedure and establishment of Saarc Arbitration Centre would be signed during the summit.

Replying to a question, Reaz Rahman said new Saarc Chairperson Prime Minister Khaleda Zia will focus on how to project the regional orientation and implement decisions of Saarc for real benefit of the South Asian people.

On the preparation of the summit, he said, "We are now concentrating on micro aspects of the summit events. All the smallest details are being looked into."

The adviser disagreed with some media reports that Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga would depart for Colombo on November 12 without attending the concluding session.

"All the leaders will attend all the events... Saarc runs on unanimity," he said. He however, said departure schedules of the Saarc leaders will be governed by exigency.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan yesterday told newspersons hosting the Saarc summit is a national pride and called upon all for cooperation for holding it successfully.

"The Saarc is not at all a party matter" successful holding of the summit will be the pride of the 14 crore people of Bangladesh," he said, adding, preparation for the Dhaka Declaration is at the final stage.

Traffic control for security from today Control on vehicle movement on different roads in the capital begins today and will continue through November 14 as law enforcers imposed the temporary restriction on traffic for the sake of securityto

Saarc secretary general arrives Saarc Secretary General Lyonpo Chenkyab Dorji arrived at Dhaka yesterday, a day ahead of the arrival of Saarc senior officials to attend the two-day meeting of the Programming Committee.

Khaleda first to be Saarc chair twice Prime Minister Khaleda Zia will have the distinction of being the first person to hold the Saarc chair for the second time since its birth two decades ago.

Manmohan, Khaleda talk Nov 12 Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia would hold bilateral meetings on November 12 on the sidelines of the Saarc summit in Dhaka. Rickshaws banned from Elephant Road to press club The traffic department of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) yesterday banned all non-motorised vehicles including rickshaws, rickshaw vans and pushcarts from the stretch of Elephant Road to Jatiya Press