A pirated copy of a Microsoft programme can be bought for less than a dollar in Bangladesh where Microsoft has just opened its first office.

Staff from the Bangladeshi operation would be lobbying the government to enforce laws on software piracy, said Feroz Mahmud, Microsoft's Bangladesh country manager.

"The entire industry suffers from this problem so it is not just important for Microsoft but also for the local software industry," Mahmud said.

"We know it can't be done in a day but we have requested the government to assure the implementation of the law and we will be continuing to push for this," he added.

Microsoft in Bangladesh, which has a staff of 14, will also work with the government to expand the use computers in education and modernise the countrys banking and telephone sectors through e-governance.

A Bengali version of the Microsoft programme would also be launched, Mahmud added.

Recently Microsoft has announced an expansion of its community and economic development programs in Asia as part of its global campaign to improve access to computers.

Asia is particularly important to Microsoft because the region was expected to be the biggest source of growth for the IT industry over the next 20-25 years.

Microsoft chairman Bill Gates has become known in recent years for his community development work on a wide range of health and social issues, as well as in information technology, and is recognised as one of the world's leading philanthropists.

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