"The government has already taken a number of initiatives and projects to promote this vital sector," he said.

He was speaking as chief guest at the inaugural session of a daylong conference on 'Problems and Practices of Teaching English as a Foreign Language' held yesterday at the auditorium of Dhaka Ahsania Mission in the city.

Jointly organised by Dhaka Ahsania Mission (DAM) and US based International Reading Association (IRA), the session was chaired by DAM President and Chief Executive Kazi Rafiqul Alam, says a press release.

It was attended, among others, by Prof Dilara Hafiz, director general, Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education and Jonathon Cebra, director, American Centre Dhaka, as special guests.

James M Wile and Rizalina Cardians Labanda from the IRA spoke on the occasion while Prof Ashraf Ali, principal, KATTC gave the welcome address.

Dhaka University English Department Chairman Dr Sadrul Amin, Prof Dr Khandokar Rezaur Rahman, Rizlina Cardians Labanda and Dr Ambygapathny Pandian of the IRA presented papers and spoke on different aspects of teaching and learning of English in the working sessions of the conference.

The minister also inaugurated an exhibition of recent books on teaching and learning process, organised on the occasion.

The conference is a prelude of a fortnight-long professional development course titled 'Effective Teaching of English as a Foreign Language' for the secondary school teachers sponsored by the DAM and IRA.