A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to this effect was signed yesterday during a 12-hour visit by Microsoft Chairman and Chief Architect Bill Gates to Bangladesh.

Bill Gates, accompanied by his wife Melinda Gates, landed at Zia International Airport around 7:30am. This was his first visit to Bangladesh as part of his weeklong visit to the region. He left for India last night.

Bill Gates met Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, had a roundtable discussion with the ministers for education, information, finance, commerce, science and ICT, communications, and home affairs, and some senior leaders of trade bodies at Dhaka Sheraton Hotel.

Commenting on his meeting with the prime minister, Bill Gates said, "I am pleased to see such a progress to bridge the digital divide and grow the software industry in an emerging market like Bangladesh. The results we are achieving here can only come through strong partnerships between industries and the government."

Microsoft Bangladesh signed the Partners-in-Learning (PL) MoU with the Ministry of Education.

Feroz Mahmud, country manager of Microsoft Bangladesh, and Abdul Aziz, education secretary, signed the three-year agreement, which aims to increase access to and build capacity for the use of ICT by educators and students.

The Microsoft chief walked into the room with a mild smile in his face to witness the signing ceremony also attended by a number of ministers and secretaries.

"Here in Bangladesh, we aim to train over 10,000 teachers and over 200,000 students over the next three years. We have also donated a sum of $100,000 in cash grants," Bill Gates told the ceremony.

"We have also rolled out 'Unlimited Potential' programme in partnership with Learn Foundation where community ICT training is provided to a target of 2,000 disadvantaged youths each year.

"In addition, alliances were also established with 10 leading universities in Bangladesh to deliver the Microsoft Developer Network Academic Alliance (MSDNAA) where teachers and students will have easier access and exposure to the latest software and technology at affordable prices," Bill Gates mentioned.

The Microsoft Partners in Learning programme comprises three distinct programmes -- the PL grants, fresh start for donated PCs, and PL school agreement.

Under this programme, Microsoft is providing technology access and skills-based training to primary and secondary-level schoolteachers and students in developing countries around the world.

So far, 100 countries have taken part in the PL programme reaching over 10.2 million students. Bangladesh is the 101st country to be enlisted in this programme.

Microsoft Bangladesh is a joint venture of the Microsoft Corporation and Bangladesh's Square Informatix and is operating in the country since June last year.

Bill Gates yesterday visited different projects of International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B), popularly known as Cholera Hospital, including a field site at Kamalapur, reports BDNEWS.

He visited the pneumonia surveillance network located in the urban slum in Kamalapur at 8:00am.

The US Embassy in Dhaka deployed its own security personnel for the Microsoft chief's security. Besides, huge security men were on hand.

Education Minister Farruk Sobhan M Osman Farruk said IT education at secondary and higher secondary levels will be strengthened as Microsoft gives the technical backup to the educational institutions, reports UNB.

Microsoft has already announced a grant of $15 million for Asian Women's University in Chittagong.

On the agreement, the minister said, "The ball is now in our court -- the future of this agreement depends on our performance."