Opposition leaders' phones being hacked with Israeli devices: Fakhrul

 
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has complained that the government is hacking the cell phones of opposition leaders with devices imported from Israel. "Such things cannot happen in any democratic country."

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir made the remarks on Saturday while addressing as the chief guest a program at the auditorium of Dhaka Reporters Unity marking in the capital marking the 16th founding anniversary of National People's Party (NPP). The news on importing phone hacking instruments from Israel was reported by some Israeli media outlets in January 2023, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said. Such reports were covered by some newspapers in Bangladesh too, he stated though the Bangladesh government denied these allegations.

Mirza Fakhrul recalled that BNP had dialogues with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina before the elections of 2018. According to him, that dialogue was fruitless which is why BNP does not want to have any negotiation with the government any more.

The BNP secretary genreal expressed doubts whether people will be able to cast their ballots in the upcoming parliamentary election with references to the elections of 2014 and 2018. Mirza Fakhrul reiterated that the next polls have to be conducted under a neutral caretaker government. He blamed the present government's inactivity for the severe outbreak of dengue all over Bangladesh.Everyday around 50 people are getting killed in road mishaps while 20 thousand crore taka is being spent on projects of 10 thousand crore taka, he added.