May 23 marks the March Against Monsanto (MAM) day seeking to raise awareness of the possible health threats posed by the $20-billion corporation's genetically engineered seeds and chemical herbicides. The worldwide events' coordinating group, MAM, claimed on its website to have registered at least 428 cities across 38 countries to hold anti-Monsanto protests.
Protesters gathered in the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka, the cities of Pabna and Tangail to Dhaka's northwest, the GMWatch independent organization wrote on its Twitter account.
Local media reports said protesters led by civil society organizations were expected to form a human chain in front of the Dhaka University campus to shed light on Monsanto's excessive use of genetically modified organisms (GMO).
Critics charge Monsanto creates widespread health risks through its use of GMOs and exerts undue influence on government bodies to suppress evidence of the dangers its products pose.
Monsanto's Roundup Ready weedkiller is widely blamed for a range of health and environmental hazards, including possible links to cancer.
The agribusiness giant initially founded as a food additive in 1901 has grown to employ 22,000 people in plants in 61 countries and become the world's leading producer of genetically engineered seeds and chemical herbicides.
A Monsanto spokesperson told Sputnik earlier that people are free to express their opinion, adding that the company is committed to "making a more balanced meal accessible for everyone."
