DHAKA: Microsoft Corp will open on Monday (Nov 22) its office in Dhaka to expand sales and fight piracy in the country.

Feroz Mahmud, country manager of Microsoft here, said the office would work closely with the Bangladesh government for sponsoring training programmes for teachers and students, reports Xinhua.

Mahmud described Microsoft's market presence in the country as "tiny" due to the absence of laws relating to intellectual property rights with local markets flooded with pirated products.

A Microsoft programme, priced at $166, is available in Dhaka's streets in pirated version at less than 1 dollar.

Industry sources said opening of the Microsoft office in Dhaka is part of the company's market expansion programme in South Asia.

Local distribution and sales of Microsoft products conducted by two companies Ingram Micro and Multimode as well as several other business partners will continue in the Bangladeshi market.

Indo-Asian News Service