Chittagong, August 01: "Asian leaders representing 1.3 billion people closed their first ever summit yesterday with a united call for joint economic action, according to the Daily Star of today. The two-day meeting in Bangkok was the first for leaders since the groups was launched seven years ago, with its short history marked by slow progress towards a free trade deal. Despite the criticism, the leaders remained bullish about the trade potential through BIMSTEC, designed as a bridge between south Asia and Southeast Asia. Trade within the group is worth just 3.7 billion dollars, or four percent of their total trade..."