A coalition of left-leaning student organisations under the banner of the Gonotantrik Chhatra Jote brought out a protest march today towards the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and held a rally demanding the cancellation of the Bangladesh-US trade agreement.

The procession began from the Dhaka University after a brief rally at Raju Sculpture in the afternoon.

During the march, protesters chanted slogans against the trade deal with the US.

Leaders from several organisations, including Bangladesh Chhatra Union, Biplabi Chhatra Moitree, Samajtantrik Chhatra Front, Biplabi Chhatra Jubo Andolon, Gonotantrik Chhatra Council and Brihottoro Chattogram Pahari Chhatra Parishad, addressed the rally in front of the foreign ministry.

The speakers alleged that the “so-called reciprocal trade agreement” with the United States was reciprocal “only in name”.

“In reality, the agreement threatens the country’s sovereignty and will harm the poultry, dairy, pharmaceutical, agriculture, and industrial sectors,” they said.

The speakers also criticised the government for prioritising the purchase of Boeing aircraft from the US at a time when the country was facing energy shortages, a measles outbreak, vaccine shortages, and mismanagement in the health sector.

They further alleged that successive governments since independence had pursued a “submissive foreign policy” towards imperialist powers.

They claimed that the interim government had signed the “unequal agreement” just three days before the election in an attempt to appease imperialist forces.

The leaders also criticised the current BNP government and Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman, alleging that they had “surrendered to imperialism”. They also accused Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami of acting as a “domesticated opposition” by supporting the agreement and remaining silent over the ongoing measles outbreak.