Dhaka on anthrax alert

Two anthrax scares have raised concerns in Dhaka

By the BBC's Waliur Rahman in Dhaka

The authorities in Bangladesh have asked the country's postal department to take precautionary measures in handling letters and packets following anthrax scares in the city.

A number of foreign embassies in the capital Dhaka have reported receiving suspect packages containing white powder which sparked disruption.

The Australian High Commission is the latest western mission to receive a suspicious substance.

On Monday, the British High Commission received a white substance and evacuated the building.

Not prepared

British mission spokesman Kristian Sharples told the BBC that the office was open on Tuesday, but precautionary measures have been put in place against any possible anthrax attack.

The world's postal workers are on alert

The substance has been sent to a local testing laboratory, but the results are not yet available, he said.

He said similar substances have been received by the British Council in Dhaka and it has also taken precautionary measures.

There are also reports that the US and Japanese embassies have received white substances.

Officials at the Health Ministry have admitted that they are not prepared to deal with the anthrax alert.

The Health Minister, Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, told the BBC that he intends to meet with health officials to work out a strategy to deal with any possible attack.