"Our relations with all the countries are very stable and sound and there is no change or shift in ties with anyone," Foreign Secretary Shamser Mobin Chowdhury told reporters.

"Decisions are taken on issues as a sovereign state and are respected by all," he added.

Bangladesh, the world's third largest Muslim-majority country, this week rejected a US request to cut back Iraqi embassy staff in Dhaka.

Prime Minister Khaleda Zia has called for an end to the war, while there have been almost daily anti-war demonstrations.

The two countries enjoy good diplomatic relations with Bangladesh one of the largest recipients of aid from the United States.

The US is also a major importer of Bangladesh's readymade garments.

Bangladesh was part of the US-led troops which expelled Iraq from Kuwait in

Anti-war demonstrations continued Thursday in Dhaka with some 100 members of the Bangladesh Economic Forum calling for an end to the war and warning the country's economy will suffer.

The cash-strapped country has already started to feel an economic pinch due to the war with exports as well as imports indicating a declining trend, business sources said.

SPACE.WIRE