They said some multinational companies are trying to control world's agriculture and their emergence here will drive out the individual farming.

The speakers said patent rights will come straightway with the introduction of GM seed and farmers will lose the authority over the seeds.

They said only 11 companies are now controlling the entire seed market all over the world.

The workshop titled 'Agriculture, Food and Commerce: Peoples' Movement' was organised jointly by Ubinig, Coastal Development Partnership, Lokoj and Uttaron in association with the International Food Security Network and Action Aid in the city.

The speakers strongly opposed the world trade organisation (WTO) agreement on agriculture.

Terming the agreement partial they said fish and jute, two main agricultural products of Bangladesh, are not included in WTO agreement.

The speakers demanded immediate cancellation of the agreement that signed by government in 1995.

They also demanded ban on imported GMO and hybrid agricultural product, and urged all to take stand against the introduction of golden rice in the country.

"On one hand the donors keep telling our government to cut subsidy on agriculture but on the other hand they are subsidising their agriculture sector heavily to get our market, the speakers alleged.

They said they will make a proposal based on the opinions of mass people before Hong Kong WTO conference.

The speakers at the workshop comprising rights activists, language veterans, teachers, NGO workers, and left leaders included Abdul Matin, Farhad Mazhar, Haider Akbar Khan Rono, Latifa Akund, Farida Akhter, Arup Rahi, Pial Rahman, Prof Asif Nazrul, and Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir.