Dhaka, June 18: Communist party members and leftist students waved black flags and marched through central Dhaka today to demand that US Secretary of State Colin Powell cancel his planned visit to Bangladesh this week. "Bush, Blair and Powell are war criminals!" shouted nearly 100 members from the Communist Party of Bangladesh during their hour-long, peaceful demonstration.

Police, meanwhile, stopped about 400 leftist student protesters from marching on the Bangladesh foreign ministry building in downtown Dhaka.

Several other leftist and Islamic parties are planning similar protests against tomorrow’s visit, when Powell will discuss with Bangladeshi leaders bilateral relations and the US efforts to rebuild Iraq and establish peace in the Middle East.

The Communist party's leader, Mujahidul Islam Selim, accused the United States of killing innocent people in Iraq during the war.

"There is blood on the hands of Powell. We can't welcome him," Selim told the Communist demonstration, a few blocks away from the hotel where Powell is expected to meet the Bangladeshi foreign minister and hold a press conference during his five-hour visit.

Protesters from the Progressive Students Union waved black flags and placards with slogans like "punish war criminal Powell," and shouted "go home Powell!" before dispersing peacefully a few blocks from the foreign ministry.

Bureau Report