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Anu Muhammad, a former professor at Jahangirnagar University, has called for the immediate scrapping of the trade deal signed with the United States on February 9. He argues that the agreement serves only to protect US corporate interests and offers no tangible benefits to the Bangladeshi people.

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Under this agreement, we would have to import LNG at inflated prices. This will not create energy security.

Speaking at a protest rally organized by the Gonotantrik Odhikar Committee in Dhaka, Muhammad vehemently criticized the deal, labeling it a "US order paper" rather than a genuine agreement. He highlighted specific provisions, such as the obligation to import Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) at inflated prices, which he contends will not enhance energy security. Muhammad also pointed to clauses that mandate Bangladesh's acceptance of US quality standards, prohibiting local quality tests and preventing questions about potentially toxic or prohibited imported products.

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This is not an agreement but a directive prepared by the US administration. Those who signed on behalf of Bangladesh… they are US agents. They have no backbone, no responsibility. They have done this to ruin the country.

Muhammad warned that the deal imposes hundreds of obligations on Bangladesh, with the US reserving the right to take action if these are not met. He described the agreement as a "Trump's order paper" that places a "noose around the Bangladeshi people’s neck." He expressed concern that the agriculture, poultry, and dairy sectors, which employ millions and have been developed over three decades, face devastation. The professor urged citizens to resist the agreement, warning of a grave future for Bangladesh if it is implemented.

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From Clause 1 onward, the document lists hundreds of obligations Bangladesh must fulfil. It specifies what the US will do, and what actions it will take against Bangladesh if those are not met.

He further criticized the government's handling of the trade deal, calling its stance "deeply worrying" and suggesting a lack of sovereignty. Muhammad asserted that the country is being influenced by the US, the Trump administration, the IMF, and corporate interests, demanding accountability from elected officials. He stated that revenue losses from the deal would be offset by new taxes on the populace, effectively using "the blood of the Bangladeshi people" to protect US corporations.

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The order paper states we cannot conduct our own quality tests. We must accept US standards. If toxic, dangerous, or prohibited products arrive, no questions can be asked. We must buy them at high prices, without imposing tariffs.