Dhaka, April 11 (NationPress) A coalition of leftist groups in Bangladesh has strongly denounced the trade agreement with the United States, labeling it as "unjust and detrimental to national interests" and demanding its immediate annulment, according to local media reports on Saturday.

This controversial deal was finalized on February 9, just three days prior to the national elections under the leadership of the previous interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, igniting widespread public outrage.

Leftist organizations, including the Bangladesh Chhatra Union, Bangladesh Jubo Union, and Bangladesh Udichi Shilpigosthi, convened a joint protest rally on Friday afternoon outside the National Museum in Dhaka, denouncing the agreement as a "treaty of servitude" and demanding its prompt withdrawal.

They also cautioned against a potential "conspiracy" to outsource the nation’s key assets—particularly its ports—to foreign powers and urged citizens to resist such actions, as reported by the Dhaka Tribune.

Bahauddin Shuvo, the central secretary general of Chhatra Union, raised concerns regarding Bangladesh's recent oil imports from Russia during the ongoing global energy crisis, questioning whether there was U.S. approval, but noting the absence of a clear response.

He emphasized that it is intolerable for a sovereign nation to permit another country to exert control over its trade and foreign policy.

Shuvo called for public mobilization against this "unfair and one-sided" agreement, urging citizens to pressure the government for its withdrawal through mass action—warning that failure to do so could plunge Bangladesh into a deeper economic, commercial, and diplomatic crisis.

Khan Asaduzzaman Masum, the president of Jubo Union, accused Yunus of ascending to power after a "violent mass uprising" in 2024, which was initially hailed as a "blessing", yet he has since prioritized U.S. interests upon taking office.

Masum claimed it took Yunus about 18 months to fully align with those interests.

He further alleged that shortly after taking office, Yunus facilitated a significant tax exemption for his New York-based nonprofit microfinance organization, and before his departure from Bangladesh, the organization signed agreements that compromised the nation’s sovereignty.

“We reject this treaty of subjugation with complete disdain,” the Dhaka Tribune quoted Masum.

Amit Ranjan Dey, the general secretary of Udichi, stated that the interim government entered into 14 agreements during its 18-month rule, all of which purportedly contradicted the interests of the Bangladeshi populace.

Accusing Yunus of prioritizing foreign interests, he asserted that the trade agreement was Yunus’s final act of undermining the country’s sovereignty.

“We are compelled to purchase inferior-quality wheat at inflated prices, and now we hear that even fuel imports necessitate American approval. What is that, if not enslavement?” Dey questioned.

He warned that the trade agreement would negatively impact the everyday lives of citizens across Bangladesh.