STAFF CORRESPONDENT

Former Jahangirnagar University professor Anu Muhammad yesterday demanded that the government scrap the trade deal with the United States, signed on February 9 this year, alleging that it would only protect US corporate interests and bring no benefit to the Bangladeshi people.

Prof Anu, also a member of Gonotantrik Odhikar Committee, made the call at a protest rally organised by the newly formed civic rights group at Manik Miah Avenue in Dhaka.

Presiding over the event, he demanded that no provision of the US-Bangladesh trade deal be implemented without parliamentary debate.

“Under this agreement, we would have to import LNG at inflated prices. This will not create energy security,” he said.

“This is not an agreement but a directive prepared by the US administration. Those who signed on behalf of Bangladesh… they are US agents. They have no backbone, no responsibility. They have done this to ruin the country.”

Criticising the trade agreement, he said, “From Clause 1 onward, the document lists hundreds of obligations Bangladesh must fulfil. It specifies what the US will do, and what actions it will take against Bangladesh if those are not met.”

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