Hundreds of Bangladeshis have demonstrated in Dhaka to protest US Secretary of State Colin Powell's upcoming visit on Thursday.
Chanting anti-U-S and anti-Powell slogans, the protesters denounced the US-led invasion of Iraq and said Mr. Powell and the United States are to blame for many civilian deaths in that war-torn country. Some marchers called on the Bangladeshi government to cancel Mr. Powell's trip to Dhaka.
However, the Bangladeshi government is preparing to give Mr. Powell a warm welcome in the capital. Although Bangladesh did not support the invasion of Iraq, it has worked closely with the Bush administration in the war on terrorism.