Guests and leaders of the Bangladesh Chhatra Federation attend an anti-imperialist rally on the Dhaka University campus on Tuesday. — New Age photo

The masses should be inspired to come out of the existing stagnant situation of the country and lead it towards development, left leaders on Tuesday said at a rally.
The Bangladesh Chhatra Federation organised the programme at Battala on the Dhaka University campus to observer ‘Anti-Imperialism Day’ marking the invasion of Iraq by the United States of America on the day in 2003.
Addressing the rally, national committee to protect oil, gas, mineral resources, power and ports member secretary Anu Muhammad said, ‘The rulers of our country tend to focus on weak points to foil mass movements against the corruption and wrongdoings.’
‘Thus they want to serve their own interests,’ he said, blaming the ruling parties of the country for working against the interest of the people.
He asked the student leaders to bring forth potentials of the masses and instil in them vigour to wage movement against all types of repression by the imperialists powers and their local collaborators.
The Jahangirnagar University professor termed the rulers of the country as ‘junior partner’ of the imperialists who are plundering natural resources of the third-world countries of the world.
He also asked the government not to engage multi-national companies in extracting natural resources from the off-shore blocks; rather people’s ownership of the resources must be ensured.
‘If it is not done, the US will certainly grab the power to utilise the country’s resources,’ he feared, expressing concern over the presence of special US military forces inside the country’s territory.
Gansnaghati Andolan chief coordinator Zonayed Saki said, ‘Ruling Awami League with its alliance and the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party have are working at the dictum of the US authorities only to stay in power.’
He said the brave students, who would be ready to sacrifice their life for the sake of country’s welfare, should come forward to free the country from the clutch of the two parties.
He said movements against imperialism were the movements against terrorism.
He clarified that only the minor terrorism caught the eyes of the people while the ‘biggest’ terrorism, perpetrated by the US in name of democracy, always remained out of their discussion.
Chhatra Federation president Ariful Islam chaired the programme, also addressed, among others, by other former student leaders.
Later, they brought out a procession which paraded the campus.
Meanwhile, Students’ Unity against Imperialism, also a leftist student body, held a discussion on the DU Central Students’ Union premises.
The students unity convener, Samiul Alam, presided over the programme, also addressed, among others, by Jatiya Mukti Council general secretary Faizul Hakim, Sanskritir Naya Shetu cultural secretary Jishu Muhammad and Jatiya Ganatantrik Gono Morcha convener Masud Khan.
Earlier, they brought out a procession and paraded different streets on the campus.