March 26, 2003	Wednesday	Muharram 22, 1424

DHAKA, March 25: A newly formed anti-war organization, Samrajyabadi Juddha Birodhi Nagorik Samaj (Civil society against imperialist war) has urged Bangladeshis to boycott all American and British products until the end of the war against Iraq.

The group also urged the government to adopt a “strong stance” against the US policy on Iraq and cancel all “unequal” bilateral agreements with American and British governments as well as multinational companies.

RALLY DISPERSED: Police baton-charged a large procession of left-leaning activists advancing towards the US mission here on Tuesday.

The activists, belonging to a newly-formed civil society forum, wanted to lay siege to the US embassy to protest the Anglo-American attack on Iraq. But police put barbed wire fence on all roads leading to the embassy.

As some protesters tried to break the barricade, police intercepted the procession of several thousand people and later resorted to a baton-charge.