The interim government has decided to form a robust lobby in an attempt to avoid inclusion in an American 'watch list' for copyright violations, reports bdnews24.com.

A senior commerce ministry official seeking anonymity told the news agency after a meeting at the ministry Wednesday.

"The Bangladesh mission in Washington will be requested to take all necessary measures to avoid inclusion in the US watch list," he said.

The 2007 Special 301 Report provides the US government with an effective arsenal of trade and investment sanctions against foreign countries that it deems to have infringed its intellectual property rights.

Generally, the list covers issues concerning copyrights, patents and trademarks.

"The US decision to put Bangladesh on its watch list was prompted by rising piracy in CDs and books," said a commerce ministry document.

"The inclusion may be of grave concern to Bangladesh because it discourages US investment, trade and commerce in the country."

According to the ministry officials, Bangladesh was previously included in the watch list for 2004, although the efforts of the Bangladesh mission in Washington resulted in its subsequent exclusion until now.

The commerce ministry official added: "It is unexpected that the US has included Bangladesh on its list again."

"The move comes despite Bangladesh enjoying a waiver in the application of World Trade Organisation (WTO) copyright rules until 2013, as a least developed country."

"We will fight inclusion in the list with respect to the less stringent WTO rules that apply to us," he said.

The International Intellectual Property Alliance (IIPA), a coalition of seven trade associations in the US, said that piracy in Bangladesh has cost US companies dearly.

The US companies most exposed to Bangladeshi piracy are mainly from the software and motion picture industries.